


Accidentally Until It's Not

by IndathreneBlue



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Angst with a Happy Ending, Awkward next morning, F/F, Kara belatedly realizing she was given a DEO folder warning her about the person she just slept with, Red Kryptonite, one-night stand to lovers to much more than that, what happens when feelings mess up the friends-ish with benefits arrangement Lena was aiming for
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-12
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-16 06:33:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 24,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28702212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IndathreneBlue/pseuds/IndathreneBlue
Summary: Since moving to National City three weeks ago, Lena’s been working non-stop. She desperately needs some stress relief, and a club’s masquerade night sounds like the perfect solution.Kara has no plans for a one-night stand, but she can't resist the rare chance at anonymity...especially when she’s so drawn to the woman hitting on her.(Kara and Lena first meet under much different circumstances. They try to turn a one-night stand into something more, contending with trust issues and emotional hurdles along the way.)
Relationships: Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor
Comments: 247
Kudos: 990





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is immeasurably better due to the amazing beta work from kryptamazon (thefutureisequalaf)
> 
> This starts off somewhere right before season 2. :)

Her assistant had been the one to suggest she go to this. Lena hadn’t done much beyond work and sleep since she’d moved to National City three weeks ago, and apparently it was starting to show. 

Jess couldn't make it herself, but she'd shared the details with Lena. A masquerade night at a popular club downtown sounded perfect, especially after the day she’d had today: five different meetings, none of which produced anything remotely useful or actionable. At this point she was almost desperate for the anonymity afforded by a masque and a simple black dress. She’d have a drink or two, then find stress relief in the form of a willing partner without having to worry about any of the potential social media repercussions from being recognized.

Unfortunately, though, her evening wasn’t playing out as well as she’d hoped. A few people had caught her eye from her view at the bar, but no one had grabbed enough of her attention to spur her into action. In this respect, things were easier in Metropolis. Going out to a club there wasn’t her only option. She’d had a couple of semi-regular hookups whom she could reach out to when the need arose. But here, she was starting from scratch - like everything else going on in her life. Brand new city, brand new apartment, and brand new crop of employees and board members she had to win the confidence and/or fear of. 

But she hadn’t come here to dwell on her problems. The exact opposite, in fact. Which meant she needed to focus a little less on her inner dialogue and a lot more on the people around her.

People that now included a newly arrived woman tending bar.

Lena was very good at getting a fast read on people, but there was some quality she couldn't easily identify about the gorgeous, blonde bartender. Maybe it was her subtle confidence amidst the club’s narcissistic atmosphere. Or maybe it was her sunny smile, so different from Lena’s usual hookups. Either way, it had her watching and eavesdropping as the bartender greeted her coworker.

“Hey, Eric, I’m so sorry I’m late, I got stuck at work and-”

“No, hey, you're the one bailing me out. Thanks for covering for me.”

The other bartender quickly finished up the drink he was working on, some kind of elaborate cocktail that looked like more effort than it was worth. He said something that Lena couldn’t quite make out, but apparently neither could the blonde.

“You look different,” he repeated a little louder. “Without the glasses.”

“Yea, they don't really work with this.” She gestured towards her masque, a domino style design similar to Lena’s, covering only the area surrounding her eyes and leaving the rest of her face bare. 

He slid the cocktail down to a person on Lena’s right, then gave the blonde a quick hug and stepped away in a rush. “Thank you again!”

“Have fun!” she called out cheerily before turning her attention to Lena and smiling widely. “What can I get you?”

And okay, that smile was one thing when it was observed from a distance, quite another when it was directed at her. It lit Lena up with warmth and a pull of attraction, followed by the first sparks of arousal.

“Not sure,” Lena replied, allowing a small smirk to appear. “Are you one of those bartenders that hates when someone says, ’Surprise me?’”

“Well, since I'm not really a bartender I'm not sure if that applies to me. But to answer your question, no I actually like that.”

Lena nodded slowly, then let her voice drop a touch when she responded with, “Good. Then surprise me.”

Fortunately, her flirting didn’t go unnoticed, with the blonde giving her a lingering gaze before turning away. Lena could be more direct with her, but foreplay like this always made the chase more satisfying when it was successful. 

If she wanted to, Lena probably could have figured out what drink she was making, but she was far more interested in the new view, appreciating the way the bartender’s jeans hugged her body, and the strong, toned arms on display when the blonde grabbed a bottle from a higher shelf.

A few moments later she presented Lena with a vibrant green drink.

“Midori sour?” Lena guessed after taking a sip. It wasn’t a drink she normally ordered, usually being too sweet for her tastes. But this one was well balanced and hit more pleasantly than expected.

The bartender’s face split into a grin as she nodded in affirmation.

“It looks a little darker than normal.”

“It is. I added some coloring to it.”

Lena tilted her head curiously. “Why?”

The blonde hesitated before answering.

“I was trying to match the color of your eyes,” she admitted softly. She opened her mouth to say something else, but was cut off by someone waving from the end of the bar to get her attention. Rolling her eyes at the interruption, she offered an apologetic smile before sidling down to get their order. 

The small wait didn’t bother Lena, because now she knew for certain her interest wasn’t one-sided.

Sipping slowly at her drink, she used the time to stare freely at the bartender. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail, and Lena imagined pulling it free, carding her fingers through honey blonde locks before slipping hands underneath that black tank top to see if the rest of her body was as fit as what Lena could already see.

After finishing up with a nearby gaggle of collegiate girls, she wandered back to Lena’s side of the bar.

“So, not really a bartender?” Lena inquired. 

It took a moment for the blonde to recall her earlier statement, brow furrowed before her eyes lit up in memory. “Oh, yeah!” Placing her elbows on the bar, she forward into Lena’s space. “So, I never really took any formal training or anything, I just bartended when I was in college at a place near campus. It was only part-time, and Eric worked there, too, before he moved here. When he found out I was in National City we got together and he mourned how great it was having me be able to cover shifts for him - I swear, he goes to more concerts in a month than I’ve gone to, like, ever - so then he half-jokingly asked if I'd fill in for him once in a while again, and he nearly fell out of his chair when I said yes.”

She laughed, then added, “It's on a much more limited basis now, though. My other job keeps me too busy to do this more than once a month or so.” 

“Why do it at all then?” Lena asked, belatedly realizing it was probably for the money. But before thinking of a way to gracefully backtrack, she received an answer contradicting her assumption. 

“Because I like it. This gives me a chance to talk and get to know people. Even if it is only in glimpses.”

She paired another one of those brilliant smiles with her response, and Lena shook her head, smiling to herself. 

“What?”

“Nothing. I’m just rather the opposite,” she admitted. “I prefer being by myself when given the option. Most people, once I get to know them, are disappointing.”

The bartender weighed that statement for a moment, looking at Lena more intently before shrugging gently. “Maybe your expectations are too high.”

It wasn’t said accusingly, more like words born from experience. But Lena shook her head again. She didn’t think it was too much to expect her mother to love her or for her brother to choose her over his vendetta. Or to have friends that were interested in more than just her last name and the wealth and status associated with it. 

“No, I don't think so,” she responded, pursing her lips before slipping into a half grin. “But then again, I haven't meant many people like you.”

Lena was being flirtatious, but she was also serious. This woman had an optimism exuding from her that Lena didn't often come across. She was used to using adjectives like jaded, selfish, and privileged for people in her sphere. Not the unbridled and infectious warmth put forth by this woman with every smile and expression.

Lena wanted to comment on that smile in particular, but forced herself to bite back the first words that came to mind. They were too stale and overused to be believable. Her expression, though, must have betrayed her thoughts, because she received a quizzical look in response, followed by a curious, “What?”

“No,” Lena said emphatically. “It’s too cliche to say.” She may not have a degree in literature, but she could certainly come up with something less hackneyed given a little time. But her refusal only spurred the blonde’s interest.

“Oh, now I have to hear it. I promise I won’t laugh.” She looked so intrigued and eager, it was hard to want to refuse her - and after a short pause, Lena gave up trying.

“I was thinking that you have a really incredible smile,” Lena told her.

With anyone else, that line wouldn’t have worked. Shouldn’t have worked. But it was the truth, and despite the low lighting Lena was positive the blonde was blushing, which was surprising because at a job like this she should have been used to lines like that by now.

Lena waved her hand in apology. “I’m sorry. You must get hit on all the time. You deserve more imaginative compliments than that.”

Again they were interrupted by another impatient patron, but it gave the blonde some time to recover, and when she returned she was no longer flustered.

“I do get hit on a lot here,” she admitted. “And I’ve heard just about every line at this point. But cliche or not...I still liked hearing it coming from you.”

Externally Lena smiled, but internally she preened.

Their banter continued on over the course of the night, with frequent smiles and glances as well as the occasional touch of fingers whenever Lena ordered another drink. Her only complaint was that the bartender was working and it necessitated waiting until the end of her shift. Yes, there was something to be said for delayed gratification, but there was a limit to that and she was more than happy to hear the blonde’s next words.

“Well, I'm just about done for the night. Can I get you anything else?”

She licked her lips and let her gaze travel up and down the bartender. Based on what Lena had gleaned of this woman’s personality thus far, she was guessing that hookups weren't really typical for her. So when the blonde blushed at the unsubtle gesture but didn't look away, Lena took that as a good sign.

“Did you want to come over to my place for a drink?”

Lena watched as the bartender reached up towards her face, seemingly to push up glasses that weren’t there, before biting her lip in indecision. God, did she have to do that, Lena thought, staring at her mouth and trying not to focus on how much she wanted to leave indentations there as well.

Eventually a slow smile broke onto the bartender’s face, and a matching one emerged on Lena’s. Her heart rate sped up as the blonde opened her mouth to speak, with Lena already knowing the answer she was about to hear.

—

Kara followed the woman out of the club, still a little surprised at herself that she’d said yes to this. Not that she hadn't ever gone home with someone from a bar or club before, but it’d never been with so little information.

She didn't even know this woman’s name, for Rao’s sake. But her personality and demeanor had pulled Kara in, and what she could see of her face and her body in that tantalizing dress had been equal parts distracting and tempting. 

Guessing they’d need transportation, Kara was about to pull out her phone when the other woman tugged her in the direction of a sleek-looking luxury vehicle parked a few cars away. Kara slid into the back seat after her, and as the divider between them and the driver rose, the woman laid her hand on Kara’s thigh, most likely anticipating nervousness on Kara’s part. The thoughtfulness was appreciated, well and truly, but now that she’d made her decision Kara was sure of what she wanted and how to act on it. Turning towards her companion, Kara cupped her cheek and captured her mouth in a slow but searing kiss, receiving a satisfied groan in response.

She kept to a languid pace, because sound carries and she didn’t want to traumatize the driver too much on the short drive over. But it didn’t mean she wasn’t distracted, so much so that it took several minutes before either of them realized they’d arrived at their destination. 

As they made their way through the lobby, Kara regained enough of her senses to notice the expensiveness of her surroundings. The woman had a driver, so that was her first tip off, but this - a lavishly modern, high-rise apartment building in the most overpriced part of the city - this was something else entirely. She’d also taken note that when the doorman attempted to greet her companion, he’d only gotten so far as a “Good evening, Ms.-” before being cut off with a quick acknowledgement.

Apparently, she wasn't the only one who wanted her identity to remain hidden. It would explain why neither one of them had introduced themselves or asked for the other’s name yet.

That would certainly make things easier. 

Kara had been fretting over how to avoid recognition. Pre-Supergirl, it hadn’t mattered, of course. But once she’d donned the crest, casual hookups suddenly became a lot trickier to navigate. She had to worry about glasses coming off or hair being pulled loose in the heat of the moment. 

She’d never come up with an actual solution, hence her non-participation in one night stands for a while. Yet she’d said yes to one tonight, trading her glasses for a masque that needed to stay in place. But lucky for her it didn’t look like it would be an issue. Kara guessed if she made no attempt to pull her partner’s masque off, her own would be left untouched as well. And hopefully it would suffice as a disguise, even if her hair came free.

As soon as the elevator’s doors closed and it began moving upward, Kara stepped into the woman’s space, capturing her lips and walking her backwards. When her back hit the wall she tried to push forward, but Kara leaned in harder, gripping at her hips and holding her firmly in place. As if reading her mind from moments earlier, she responded by pulling Kara’s hair free of it’s ponytail, weaving her fingers in and tugging Kara forward to deepen the kiss until the elevator arrived at their floor.

Once inside the apartment, Kara found herself pivoted and pressed against the door. “Two can play at that game,” her companion whispered in her ear, teeth biting lightly on her earlobe.

Not to be outdone, Kara slid her hands to the woman’s hips and spun her around.

“But I play it better,” she murmured as she dropped her hands behind the woman’s thighs, lifting her off the ground and pushing her up against the door. Kara might lack confidence in some areas, but her strength wasn't one of them. 

She heard a hum of agreement and “I guess you do” as the woman’s legs wrapped around Kara’s waist, while Kara sucked a trail along her neck.

Eventually Kara’s lips found their way back to her partner’s mouth, where she nipped at her bottom lip, then paused before continuing.

“Is this okay?” Kara asked against her lips.

“Is what okay?” She sounded confused by the question.

“This. What we’re doing.” Kara ducked her head down, suddenly a little self-conscious. “Sorry. I’m just checking in. I mean, it’s probably obvious you're still wanting to do this but I wanted to make sure you're comfortable and okay with what I’m doing. What we’re doing. Sometimes it can be unclear with people and it doesn’t hurt to double check and-”

Thankfully her rambling was stopped in the best way possible - with an opened mouthed kiss and a tongue seeking entrance. After a few moments of kissing intense enough that Kara started feeling dizzy with need, the woman pulled away, leaning her forehead against Kara’s.

“Yes, I'm very much okay with everything that's going on, both now and in the near future.” She cupped Kara’s cheeks, making eye contact through their masques as she said, “But thank you for asking.”

“Of course.”

Kara leaned in a little closer, then paused when she caught a glimpse of something else in the green eyes looking back at her. Something besides desire. It almost looked like surprise.

“What are you thinking about?” she asked, giving in to her curiosity.

There was a pause, fingers lightly brushing against the back of Kara’s neck as the woman debated answering that. Kara thought maybe she wouldn’t, but after a few seconds she was given a wry smile and a simple but unexpected answer.

“Just that you seem like a nice person.”

“And?” Kara coaxed gently. Because it seemed like there was more to it than that.

“And-” her breath hitched when Kara’s restless fingers curled against the bare skin of her upper thighs, “And I’m not really used to that.”

Kara paused, eyes furrowed in confusion. “To people being nice to you?”

“Yes,” she replied matter-of-factly.

“That’s…” Kara shook her head slightly, at a loss for words. “You deserve better than that.”

“You don't know me,” she retorted, an eyebrow quirked up in challenge. “Maybe I’m not nice either.”

She punctuated that statement by leaning forward and pulling Kara’s bottom lip into her mouth before biting down on it. Not sharply enough to truly hurt, but enough for Kara to feel it, from her lips to her toes.

Kara replied with a soft kiss in return, wordlessly arguing against this woman’s self-assessment. She might have hard edges, but Kara wouldn’t have been attracted to her - wouldn’t have come home with her - if there wasn’t more to her than that.

The back-and-forth continued before settling somewhere in between, a heated mix of soft and sharp, with the same intensity and passion that preceded their impromptu conversation.

After that, Kara was more focused on kissing and removing clothing than talking. But she didn't forget the glimpse of vulnerability she’d seen and heard, the lack of kind treatment from the people in this woman’s life thus far. And Kara was determined to make up for it.

Even if it was through something as fleeting as casual sex. 

—

Three orgasms and she hadn't returned the favor once yet. Lena wasn't keen at losing at anything in life, but she might be willing to make an exception in this case.

“Fuck,” Lena sighed, flopping against the pillows as she tried to catch her breath. “That was…wow.”

The blonde crawled up from between Lena’s legs, licking her way up her sternum before resting her elbows on either side of Lena’s face to grin down at her.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Lena confirmed, reaching up to tuck a lock of hair behind the blonde’s ear. “I'm not entirely sure you're real. Like, you're going to mumble something about a pumpkin and leave your masque behind in lieu of a glass slipper.”

The woman above her chuckled before leaning down to kiss along her collarbone. 

Lena never had cause before to describe herself as being fucked within an inch of her life, but tonight was getting close. And if she let her keep going and try for a fourth, that description would become accurate. Which, while tempting, would leave her useless. And that wasn’t fair to her partner.

Lena plucked at a strap of the woman’s tank top. “How is it that you’re still mostly clothed?”

The blonde glanced down at herself, then smiled.

“You got my jeans off.”

“But not you,” Lena retorted with an arched eyebrow, pushing at the blonde’s shoulder. “Lay down.”

She half expected an argument, but seeing the hooded look she got in response made Lena smile in anticipation. She could only imagine how built up the blonde must be at this point.

“Any requests?” she teased as she started inching the woman’s shirt up, kissing along her stomach. 

“Just…don't hold back. You won't hurt me.”

“Are you saying you want it rough?” Lena was fine with that if she did, but she didn't want to be wrong either.

“No. I mean, I like that, too, just…not really rough right now, but,” she paused to lick her lips, looking up at the ceiling, “hard enough that I can feel you.”

“I can do that,” Lena replied, smiling as she gripped the blonde’s hip. And as she started kissing up her body, she couldn’t help thinking that one night with this woman wasn’t going to be enough.

* * *

Kara wasn't asleep, but she wasn't really awake either, drifting in a soft haze of blissfully dull senses. This was her favorite part of every morning - the part before the noise of the world took over. It wasn’t that it was silent - because it was never silent for her - but it was quiet.

Sometimes that was all she wished for. For the world to just stop being so loud and noisy and pretentious and full of itself.

Maybe she needed a break. To spend some time outside of the city, where the cacophony came from nature and felt a lot less intrusive and agitated. But that required additional consideration and planning, neither of which she felt like thinking about at the moment, so she let those thoughts float away, let herself fall back into the half asleep-ness she was enjoying a few seconds ago.

Because this was nice.

Really nice.

Something about right now was extra pleasant, but she wasn’t awake enough to put her finger on what it was exactly. She didn’t really care, though. Just wanted to linger in it forever as she snuggled up to the warmth in front of her.

Forever, unfortunately, lasted a grand total of about thirty seconds. That’s when the warmth turned over. That’s when a name was gasped out in surprise.

“Supergirl?!”

Kara froze.

Memories of last night suddenly came flooding back. The club, the car ride over, the incredible sex with the woman she was currently sharing a bed with...

And that one moment. When she was tired yet still should have gotten up and left, but her post-coital endorphin-flooded brain convinced herself it would be fine.

Fuck.

Words of denial were on the tip of her tongue as she opened her eyes - ”I know, I get that a lot...” - but instead, the only words coming out of her mouth were ones full of just as much shock.

Because she knew the face staring at her.

“Lena Luthor?”


	2. Chapter 2

Lena woke to light streaming through windows at a different angle than she was accustomed to. Regardless of the fact that it was a Saturday, she usually woke up early out of habit. The only times she didn't were as a result of drinking, utter exhaustion, or - she felt an arm around her middle, pulling her back to lie flush with the body behind her - or that.

It was unusual for Lena to let someone she wasn't in a serious relationship sleep over, but then flashes of the marathon sex they'd engaged in starting coming back to her, and that made sense. By the end they'd both been too tired to do much beyond pull the sheets over their bodies before sleep took over. 

Unfortunately, what didn't come back to her was the impetus for last night’s foray, so when she felt something askew covering part of her face, she haphazardly pushed it off of her head before rolling over to the person sharing her bed.

And that's when Lena got a big enough shock that she knew her morning caffeine would be completely unnecessary today. 

Supergirl was in her bed.

And she was in her bed because they'd had sex.

A lot of sex.

Belatedly she realized she'd must have said the hero’s name out loud, because the blonde blinked her eyes open to look at her and said Lena’s name out loud in just as much surprise. 

They stared at each silently, until something caught Lena’s attention lying on the pillow above Supergirl’s head.

Pulling it towards her, Lena suddenly recognized the masque the blonde had been wearing last night. And now Lena understood what she'd pushed off her own face moments ago. 

“Well,” Lena said with a smirk, “…this is awkward.”

—

Awkward didn't even begin to cover it.

Kara recognized Lena immediately. Her sister had given her a DEO packet about Lex’s sister a month ago, right before she’d arrived in town. She didn’t recall much from what she’d read - she’d told Alex she wasn’t about to judge a woman by her brother’s actions - but she did remember the pictures. The pale skin and striking green eyes and…oh, Rao.

She was an idiot.

And to make matters worse, her stunned silence took away any hope of believably denying her identity. Alex was going to kill her if she found out about this.

After a few more moments of staring at one another unproductively, Lena turned and got out of bed, walking naked towards her closet. As she slipped into a robe, Lena smirked. “It's a little late to be blushing, Supergirl.”

Lena calling her out on it only served to deepen Kara’s blush more. But she couldn't help it - seeing Lena’s body on full display in the bright light of day was more than she could handle.

Rather than respond, Kara rolled out of bed and snagged her top off of the floor, pulling it over her head and running a hand through her tangled hair as she looked for her underwear. She didn’t spot them anywhere on the ground, and when she turned to search the bed she was startled to find Lena standing in front of her dangling her boyshorts from a fingertip. 

This morning really couldn't get any more mortifying. 

“Thank you,” Kara mumbled, slipping them on as Lena reached behind her to hand Kara her jeans. 

She pulled those on as well, eyes studiously avoiding eye contact with the woman in front her. But that meant her gaze landing on Lena’s robe.

Lena’s slightly open robe.

Lena’s slightly open robe that revealed the swell of her right breast - perfectly smooth, pale skin marred only by a fresh bruise peeking out from beneath the edge of the fabric. One of several marks she’d left as she'd sucked along Lena’s chest and collarbone.

Oh, Rao…Kara had given Lena Luthor hickies.

Lena cleared her throat pointedly, and Kara snapped her eyes up to Lena’s, face reddening once again.

“Sorry,” Kara apologized softly, “for staring.”

No need to mention or apologize for the hickies.

“Don’t worry about it.” Lena waved her hand absently. “It's not like we haven't seen every square inch of each other already.” Lena walked past Kara, halting in the open doorway. “I'm going to go make some tea. Would you like some as well? Or coffee?”

“Um, sure. Tea is fine.” Kara’s head was still spinning at the surreality of the situation to really care about what she was drinking. 

A few minutes later, after Kara had used the bathroom and otherwise stalled as much as possible, she wandered into the kitchen. Lena was seated at the kitchen island, sipping at her tea while perusing something on her tablet.

“Hey,” Kara announced herself.

Lena looked up, gaze traveling up and down Kara before a slow smile crept over her face.

“Hi.” 

She gestured to the mug across from her as she set her tablet aside.

Kara stepped forward, setting the masques she’d grabbed from the bedroom onto the counter. She picked up the tea and murmured a quiet ‘thank you’ before taking a sip, trying to figure out what to say. Mornings after a hookup were awkward enough already, but this…this was a whole new level.

“This is good,” Kara commented, in lieu of anything better to say.

“Mmm,” Lena hummed. “It is. But don't get your heart too set on it. Tieguanyin tea is hard to come by.” 

“Expensive, then.”

“Yes,” she admitted with a small quirk of her lips. 

“How expensive?”

“Does it matter?”

“Not really,” Kara shrugged. It was more a question to keep the conversation going, rather than any real desire to know.

Lena tilted her head at Kara, appraising her. “I buy it because I like it, not because it comes with a high price tag.”

Kara took another sip, closing her eyes as she chased after the memory the tea was teasing at. When she reopened them, it was to a questioning look, the piercing intelligence behind it catching Kara off guard.

Lena didn't say a word, but Kara felt compelled to answer anyways, despite the fact that she really shouldn't. Because while Kara hadn't denied Lena’s assumption of her identity, she hadn't confirmed it either.

So she hedged. 

“It reminds me of a drink from my first home,” Kara answered. “It's a bit mellower, but…very similar.”

Lena eyed her for a moment before standing up to reach into the cabinet behind her. Kara watched as she pulled out a small tin, then slid it across the island towards her. 

Kara gave her a confused look.

“I’m assuming the memories it's evoking are good ones?”

“Yes, but-”

“Then take it.”

“You said it's hard to come by,” Kara argued.

“But not impossible,” Lena replied.

Kara could have fought her on it, but she didn't want to undermine Lena’s gesture. So she stepped forward and picked it up off the counter.

“Thank you.”

Kara turned the box over in her hands twice, opening her mouth to make some excuse to leave, but Lena spoke first.

“I had fun last night,” she said, calmly sipping at her tea. Like she was talking about a night out at the movies or dinner with friends and not a wild night of sex.

Kara’s face heated up again, but at least her voice was steady when she replied, “Yeah, I did, too.”

And she had enjoyed herself. A lot. If she’d woken up next to anyone else she would have thought about pursuing something beyond a one-night stand. But with both of them being who they were, there was no way either of them could consider-

“We should do it again sometime,” Lena suggested smoothly. 

Kara’s eyes shot up to Lena’s, just barely avoiding dropping the tea in her hands.

“What?”

“I said, we should-”

“No,” Kara sputtered, “I mean, I heard you, but…”

“But what? You're Supergirl? And I'm Lena Luthor?”

“Well…yeah.”

Lena sipped at her tea again, studying Kara. “Why did you come home with me?”

Kara paused. It was a good question. One she suspected Lena already knew the answer to.

Several reasons came to mind - because you're beautiful, and we had really good chemistry, and wow, that dress - but one thing in particular stuck out. “It was easy talking to you. I didn’t have to pretend or act a certain way. I felt…more like myself.”

“Agreed.” Lena reached over for the masques and turned them over in her hands. “Neither of us had any expectations to live up to.”

She set them down in the space between them. 

“We’re both under the pressures of living up to an identity. High-profile CEO... Superhero….” Lena shrugged. “It would be nice, for once, to have a partner that understands the need to let go of that.”

Lena waited for Kara to respond, but Kara was silent - and that silence spoke volumes. Because she knew what she should say. What she should have already said out loud. But it was too tempting to flat out say no to it, and Lena knew that.

Grabbing a nearby pad of paper, Lena jotted something down before folding it in half and walking up to Kara, slowly tucking it into the front pocket of Kara’s jeans. 

This was the moment where Kara should just step back.

But she didn’t. She ignored that part of her brain very clearly telling her this was a bad idea, and instead slid her hand into Lena’s hair and kissed her. And Lena opened her mouth, and then Kara’s tongue was slipping inside and yeah, kissing Lena now was just as intoxicating as it was last night.

Kara was trying to figure out what to do with the box of tea still in her other hand - she didn’t think Lena would appreciate her dropping it on the ground - when a distant siren went off, followed by the telltale buzz of Kara’s phone.

Lena dropped her head onto Kara’s shoulder and sighed. She knew what Kara was about to say.

“I have to go.”

—

Kara flopped onto her bed, staring up at the ceiling. Just when she thought her life couldn't get any weirder, today went and happened. 

Or rather, last night and this morning happened. 

She’d basically run away from Lena to go handle that fire, and then, rather than think about the ramifications of sleeping with Lena Luthor, she’d chosen to assist the local authorities for most of the afternoon.

She’d been ready to head home after that, but then Winn had cornered her about dinner at that new taco place. It would have been fine if she’d bailed, but she hadn't seen her friends outside of work in a while and she really wanted to put off thinking about the whole Lena thing for as long as possible. So she went to dinner, ate a lot of really good food, and pretended everything was fine. If her friends noticed her behavior was off, they were nice enough not to mention it. And luckily Alex wasn’t there, because she definitely would have noticed and brought it up. Kara wouldn’t have told her what had happened, but she really didn't feel like making up some excuse that her sister may or may not have believed. 

Therefore, Kara’s happy bubble of denial lasted all the way until that evening, when after stripping off her jeans to start an early pajama night, she'd emptied her pockets and come across the scrap of paper Lena had slid into her pocket earlier - with her phone number neatly written across it.

Everyone - Alex, especially - would tell her it was a catastrophically bad idea. It was one thing to accidentally sleep with Lena Luthor. Quite another to engage in any sort of relationship with her on purpose. 

The problem was, Kara herself wasn't convinced it was a bad idea. Not entirely anyways. 

Because all she knew about Lena was that Lex Luthor was her brother. And that she wielded a lot of potentially dangerous power at the company she ran. If Lena wanted to hurt Supergirl she certainly had the resources. And Kara would be giving her the opportunity, too, if she continued having sex with her. Even assuming she didn't fall asleep in her bed again, Kara would still be vulnerable. 

But those were all if’s.

Judgment based on circumstances and a last name.

The only way to know Lena’s intentions was to actually get to know Lena. But there wasn’t any easy way to do that. She couldn’t just pop on over to her office or apartment in full Supergirl regalia on a regular basis. That would spark a lot of questions and wasn't exactly low key. And street clothes were out of the question. She was too recognizable with her hair down and glasses off, and with them up and on she’d be looking like Kara Danvers. And even if she never gave Lena her name, it was too big a risk. Kara was a reporter and at some point she would cross Lena’s path at a press conference, and then Lena would know both of her identities.

So she left the phone number on the small table next to her bed, knowing she should just crumple it up and throw it in the garbage, but giving in to the part of her that didn’t want to. Wanting to pretend, at least for a little while, that she could have some sort of semblance of a normal life. 

* * *

Lena sank back into her chair, sighing as she ran her hand over her face. That video conference was one she’d been dreading all week and, unfortunately, had lived up to her expectations. She'd ended up with what she wanted, but not without a fair amount of less-than-ethical leveraging of power and information. It was Edge Tech, though, so she felt zero remorse. That company had been built on stolen intellectual property and they considered corporate espionage an acceptable substitute for legitimate research and development. She could practically hear them choking on their hubris near the end of that call, and that had brought a smile to Lena’s face - unlike everything else that had transpired over the last several weeks.

Ever since she announced a change in direction for the company, it was as if every damn shareholder, employee, or citizen of National City felt the need to provide their own singularly insightful opinions. (Yes, she was already perfectly aware that shutting down certain divisions would put a dent in their bottom line. And no, she wasn’t going to ask her brother, in prison, the man whose attempts to kill her had precipitated her early move to National City, what he thought the company should do going forward.)

The only person she'd failed to hear from was a certain caped superhero…which was disappointing. The least Supergirl could do was text her.

But honestly, Lena had expected this response. Or lack thereof, rather. Too much of a risk or a walk on the wild side, she supposed. Lena had held out hope anyways, because she really could use the stress relief, and the setup was ideal. 

But so be it. Lena wasn't one to lament over lost opportunities. 

* * *

Kara touched at her glasses and ponytail for the hundredth time since she walked out the door of Catco. It's fine, she told herself again. It’s fine. Just act normal. But Rao, she felt like she did when she’d just arrived on Earth. Those first few weeks when she kept worrying, thinking people would find out because she did something wrong. Or even if she was perfect, that they'd still somehow just know…

But they didn’t know, and things turned out fine. Just like they would now.

The elevator doors opened and she walked at a normal pace like a normal person, then gave her name to the assistant at the desk. 

She sat down, glancing at the clock on the wall, both wanting to start right away so she could stop speculating on the outcome, while also hoping to have to wait so she could delay the inevitable. But less than a minute later she was being shown in, and Kara was taking a seat across from her.

Sitting three feet away from Lena Luthor.

She was just as strikingly beautiful as Kara remembered. Maybe even more so, in the bright light of day, in an environment she commanded. Her demeanor was more formal, exuding power and authority, but there was a soft edge to it. At least, to Kara’s eyes there was. She guessed others might only see the hard lines, not wanting or able to see beyond that.

Kara waited and watched as Lena scrawled her signature on a rather imposing stack of documents, before looking up to meet Kara’s eyes.

Kara held her breath for a second, waiting…

But Lena just smiled politely before standing and extending a hand to introduce herself.

“I'm sorry to keep you waiting. Welcome to L-Corp,” Lena said warmly, with a quick glance up and down at Kara as she stood to shake hands. “I understand you’re filling in for your colleague, Mr. Sheppard?”

Kara exhaled and smiled, hiding away her sense of relief at Lena’s response. She ignored the small part of her that wished Lena had recognized her, because the last thing she needed was another complication in her life. Even if that same small part of her was saying that Lena was probably worth it.

“Yes, his wife went into labor this morning. I’m Kara Danvers. It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Luthor.”

Lena’s eyes narrowed a touch as she released Kara’s hand, her smile fading as she said, “Lena.” 

“What?” Kara replied inelegantly, nervous at the sudden shift in Lena’s demeanor. 

“Please, call me Lena.”

“Oh, okay…Lena.”

Kara just stood there, trying not to fidget with her hands as Lena kept staring, having made no move to sit down yet.

And then Kara saw it. The spark of recognition. 

No, no, no, no, no. 

Kara took her seat and tried to push on, hoping it would remain as some hazy sense of familiarity and not solidify into distinct knowing. Everything might still be fine. She flipped open her notebook, eager to launch into the interview. 

“I have a list of questions ready, but I thought we could start off with any statements you wanted to make first about the new developments at L-Corp. The name change for one-”

“You never called me.” 

Kara snapped the pencil in her hand clean in half. 

She was wrong.

Everything was not fine.

—

Lena leaned against the side of her desk, crossing her arms as she watched Kara pick up the remains of her pencil off the ground.

“I don't know what you mean-”

“Kara,” Lena interrupted. “I spend a lot of time on the phone with a lot of different people. By necessity, I've come to be very good at recognizing voices. The glasses and hair are probably good enough for most people. But I've both seen and,” she smirked, “more importantly, heard you up close and personal. I have no doubt it's you.”

Kara looked away, and Lena watched as a host of different emotions crossed her face, changing too quickly for Lena to decipher. It ended with a look of acceptance, confirmed by Kara’s next words. 

“I'm sorry. It's just…complicated.”

“Because I'm a Luthor and you're a Super.”

“Yes and no.” Kara sighed. “It could end up being the reason. Depending on your intentions.” She looked up, holding Lena’s gaze. “If I left myself that exposed, it would be easy for you to hurt me - both physically and emotionally.”

“I wouldn't say easy,” Lena replied with a touch of sarcasm. 

“But easier. Far easier than almost anyone else I could possibly engage in a relationship with. You are a Luthor. I can't ignore the inordinate power and intelligence associated with that name.”

Lena shook her head, resignedly. “You aren't the first person that couldn't get past my name. And you certainly won't be the-”

“I didn't say I couldn't get past it,” Kara interrupted, her expression serious. “I said I have to tread very carefully. Me not calling you was because I couldn't figure out how, exactly, to do that.”

She seemed genuinely unhappy over that fact.

Lena drummed her fingers against her arm. Admittedly, Kara had cause for concern. And thanks to Lex, Kara didn't have to imagine the possible damage - it was there to see firsthand - and she couldn't know that Lena didn't harbor the same vendetta as her brother. Kara didn't really know her.

And that would have to change if she wanted to prove Kara’s worries were unfounded.

“My assistant is always harassing me about skipping meals,” she said casually as she sat behind her desk, leaning back in her chair. “Meet me for lunch this week. And the following weeks. Until you realize I'm not a threat.”

Kara looked at her in confusion. “Is this-” Kara stumbled over her words, caught off guard by Lena’s proposal. “Are you asking me out? Like, on a date?”

“It doesn't have to be. If it goes in that direction, so be it. Mainly, it's a way for you to get to know me a little better. To confirm that my intentions are wicked only in the sexual sense.”

Her eyes roamed over Kara at the end of that statement, taking in the button-up, belted slacks, and dark-framed glasses, paired with the same set of blue eyes, the same intriguing combination of careful strength and earnest purpose. 

Different setting, same attraction. And the same blushing reaction from Supergirl.

Like at the club, Lena didn’t know what kind of answer she would receive to her proposal. But once Kara got over Lena’s overt flirting, she paused and considered.

The silence lingered, and Lena was one moment away from straightening her posture and moving forward in a strictly professional manner, when Kara responded.

“Alright,” she said.

Lena managed to contain her surprise, but just barely.

“When and where?” Kara asked, smiling, but with more than a hint of uncertainty in her eyes, because this wasn’t the safe play. This was a risk Kara was knowingly taking. And that display of trust evoked a swell of emotion in Lena, one she wasn’t prepared for and didn’t want to acknowledge. So she pushed it down, and answered Kara’s question instead. 

“I’ll text you the times I have available once I look at my schedule. You can decide the where.”

“Okay.”

Lena took a breath, about to move forward with the actual interview, when a small but important detail came to mind. “I don’t have your phone number. Which, I understand you may not feel comfortable giving me yet. We’ll just need some other way to-”

“No, that's fine.” Kara jotted her number down on her notepad, then tore the sheet off and handed it to her. 

The significance of a Luthor having Supergirl’s phone number wasn’t lost on Lena. She took a moment to appreciate the magnitude of trust - staring at Kara’s looping script on the yellow lined paper - before leaning forward in her chair. 

“Now that that's settled, Ms. Danvers,” she said, a smile emerging at the results of their conversation, “shall we get started with the interview?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all of the lovely comments already. I appreciate every one of them :)


	3. Chapter 3

Twice now Kara had to stop her leg from bouncing too hard lest she knock the glasses of water off the table.

Moments like this were when she usually called her sister to help her calm down, but that wasn’t an option right now. Alex wouldn’t let her get away with being vague about why she was nervous. Kara would have to tell her she was having lunch with Lena Luthor, then Alex would want to know why, until inevitably every last sordid detail spilled out of her. And Kara’s sex life was not something she wanted Alex privy to. Like, ever. Let alone when it was with someone Alex would berate Kara over.

No, she could deal with this nervousness on her own, thank you.

Just as she was about to needlessly look over the menu again, she spotted Lena walking towards her.

Lena, looking calm and collected and stunningly attractive, wearing a forest green dress with an asymmetrical neckline. It wasn’t exactly conservative, but it wasn’t daring, either, so Kara involuntarily licking her lips was a testament to her reaction to Lena herself.

If Lena noticed her reaction she didn’t say anything, but as she took a seat her eyes flicked down towards Kara’s hands, which were worrying at a cloth napkin and starting to tear through it. She quickly put it aside and picked up her menu, staring at it until the server came to take both of their orders.

He raised an eyebrow at the amount of food Kara ordered, but he didn’t question it. Unlike Lena, once they were alone again.

“Do you normally order that much food?”

Kara shrugged. “Depends on who I'm with. If it's someone who only knows me as Kara Danvers, then no, because they’d question it.”

“What about the servers?” Lena gestured towards the kitchen. “You don’t worry about them?”

“They don’t pay attention to how much I’m actually eating. I ask for takeout containers early on and they assume those boxes actually get filled.”

“Smart.” Lena tapped at the table, letting that information sink in. “But you always need to eat that much?”

“Yes, unfortunately. It’s nice at times, being able to eat whatever I want and not have to worry about it, but more often than not it’s just inconvenient. If you didn’t know about my other job, then I’d have to stop at a pizza place or something after this.”

“Wouldn't carrying around some energy bars be easier?”

Kara nearly choked on her water, her expression pulling a laugh from Lena. 

“They're not all terrible,” Lena protested. 

“Yes, they are,” Kara retorted. “I've tried every kind that exists and not a single one tastes anything like the flavor they promise on the wrapper. Unless cookie dough is supposed to taste like dirt.”

Lena snorted at that and Kara laughed with her, feeling herself finally start to relax.

The host passed by and seated a couple a few tables away, prompting Lena to look around the restaurant and take in the quiet ambiance. “I'm surprised you picked this place,” she questioned, a slight tilt to her head. “I figured you’d opt for somewhere more crowded. You said you liked being around people.”

Kara nodded. “I do. But at times it can be too much on my senses.” Seeing a hint of curiosity in Lena’s gaze, she elaborated. “My enhanced hearing isn’t something I turn on. It’s always happening, so I have to actively suppress it when I don’t want to be using it.”

Lena’s eyebrows furrowed in surprise and concern. “That sounds exhausting.”

“It was early on,” Kara admitted, pushing away unpleasant memories of her first months on Earth. “It's almost second nature now, but when I'm overworked it takes more effort to tune things out. This,” she waved her hand, indicating the atmosphere around her, “makes it easier.”

Lena hummed in understanding.

“Plus, I was guessing you preferred the quiet,” Kara added. 

“I do.”

“How come?”

“Honestly? I’m not interested in what most people have to say. It’s rarely worth the interruption to what I’m doing.”

“But isn’t that a big part of being a CEO? Talking to people?”

“It is.” Lena smiled wryly. “Which is why I didn’t want the job. I was quite happy researching and developing my own independent projects before my brother went and screwed everything up.”

“Then why didn’t you let someone else take over?

Lena sighed. “Because Lex painted me into a corner.”

She swirled the wine in her glass, staring at its contents before taking a slow drink, holding Kara’s gaze when she answered.

“Lex was a ruthless leader for LuthorCorp. But people either don’t realize or they forget that he put in place programs and technology that truly helped people. He believed - and the broader financial data reflects this - that helping people helped LuthorCorp. Now, whether or not his motivations had any altruistic aspect is debatable. But the board of directors is short-sighted, and they only look to see if a project is making or losing money on its own merits. With him gone, they would have chosen someone under their control as a replacement. And those programs - many of them based on my own research - would have been the first on the chopping block. It gave Lillian the perfect opportunity to manipulate me, because she knew I couldn't stomach that. And for as much as she endlessly criticized me, she wanted a Luthor at the top above all else. She orchestrated my nomination, and I resentfully accepted.

Lena set her wine glass down, weighing her next words carefully. 

“The person Lex is now...” Lena’s face twisted. “I don't recognize him. What he’s done since starting this grudge match against aliens has been appalling. But before that, when we were growing up, I was close with my brother. He was a good person. Especially to me. And I still hang on to those memories. Even though he’s tried to kill me. Which is messed up on my part, I suppose.”

Kara’s eyes widened. “He tried to kill you?”

“Yes. Multiple times, actually.”

She said it like it wasn’t a big deal. Like she was talking about the weather and not assassination attempts on her own life. Kara had trouble articulating a response.

“I’m…”

“Appalled?” Lena supplied, taking a casual bite of her salad.

Kara shook her head. “No. Amazed. Most people wouldn’t try to hold onto good memories of anyone that tried to kill them. Even if it was their sibling. Maybe especially so.” She caught Lena’s gaze and smiled softly. “That’s extraordinarily compassionate.”

Clearly caught off guard by Kara’s compliment, Lena cleared her throat in a self-conscious gesture, unsure of how to respond. After the silence went on a little too long, Kara scooped up a forkful of her pasta and held it towards Lena.

“You need to try this,” she stated emphatically, blatantly changing topics in an effort to lighten the mood. “I know it’s simple, but they do something with the sauce that’s just incredible, and it’s too good not to share.” 

“I'm fine with my salad,” Lena murmured after a moment’s pause, her lips turning upwards with amusement at Kara’s enthusiasm.

“Exactly. You're ‘fine’ with your salad,” Kara finger quoted. “Fine isn't acceptable.”

“I don't know about that.” Lena nodded her head in Kara’s direction, a suggestive drawl creeping into her tone. “You're pretty fine.”

Kara rolled her eyes, gratified to see Lena’s mood lifting. “I'm talking about food.”

Lena smirked. “So am I. You tasted pretty good when I was licking your-”

“Lena!”

A loud laugh immediately spilled out of Lena, to which Kara shook her head in mock disapproval. Privately, however, she was more than okay with being teased if it meant getting to see Lena this unguarded. 

Kara lifted her fork a little closer to Lena, pushing past her lewd comment. But rather than take the fork out of Kara’s hand, Lena opened her mouth and leaned forward. Wrapping her lips around the noodles, she slowly dragged them off the fork, and Kara couldn’t take her eyes off of Lena’s mouth as she pulled away. She couldn’t stop the hitch in her breath, either.

Lena’s smile was downright wicked as she leaned back in her chair, and Kara balled up her napkin and threw it across the table at her in retaliation. “You're incorrigible,” she accused, laughing.

“That’s not the first time I've been called that,” Lena confessed with a smile. “Although, it’s been a while. Not since I was younger and going through my ‘rebellious phase,’ as my mother liked to call it.”

Kara’s eyes lit up with curiosity as she retrieved her napkin. She’d never gone through that stage herself growing up. It took her so many years to fully understand what normal even looked like, let alone know how to rebel against it in a way common to most teenagers and young adults.

“Oh, do tell,” she asked eagerly. 

“Really?” Lena looked skeptical as she ate another forkful of the pasta Kara had surreptitiously deposited on her plate. “I'd have thought you'd have dug up that dirt on me already.”

“I skimmed?” Kara admitted a little sheepishly. “But to be fair, that was semi-intentional. I mean, I knew the basic facts about you already, but nothing much about your personal life. I wanted to get to know you face-to-face. Once, you know, I was sure you weren't a serial killer or anything.”

Lena smirked a little at that. “That’s your line in the sand? Serial killer? Anything below that is workable?”

“You know what I mean,” Kara scowled playfully.

Lena smiled, the sparkle in her eyes teasing Kara further, before returning to the original subject.

“Yes, well, I predictably went through that phase in college. My mother was making me claustrophobic in her heavy-handed attempts to control me, so I defied her in whatever ways I could.”

“Like how?”

“I started dressing ‘unbecoming for a person of my stature,’ as she so eloquently put it. Which was simply a lot of black clothing and dark makeup. Then I pursued degrees in both science and business, when apparently I should have been focusing solely on business. But the big showstopper was coming out to my mother as gay. Surprisingly, she said it didn’t matter to her who I wanted to sleep with. But she followed that up by saying it would hurt LuthorCorp if that kind of information became public, and that I had better keep my dalliances private. To the point that she recommended NDAs with any partners."

Kara’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Your mom is…not nice,” she responded weakly, because nothing resembling a proper adjective was coming to mind. But it brought forth a laugh from Lena, so it was successful at least on that front. 

“Oh, and the piercings,” Lena tacked on. 

Kara looked up, staring at the series of faint divots on Lena’s ears, noting that they ran along the upper curve as well as the lobes.

“That’s not too outrageous. I mean, yeah, that's a lot but-”

“It wasn't just my ears.” 

Kara’s eyes flicked towards Lena’s, her mind going back to their night together. She didn't recall seeing any other piercings, and Kara had touched every inch of her. She started to mentally revisit the landscape that was Lena’s body, remembering the things she had done, the things she wanted to do again, and-

“Tongue,” Lena interjected.

“What?” Kara blurted out, a blush forming as her mind linked up ‘tongue’ with her previous thoughts of a naked Lena.

“You were trying to figure out where else.”

“Right! Tongue,” she repeated, a little too brightly. “Piercing. Tongue piercing.” A clarification that was wholly unnecessary and that caused a slow grin to spread across Lena’s face.

“Should I even ask what other tongue-related thoughts you were having?” she asked, her smile widening.

Kara groaned as she slumped down in her chair. “Please don't.”

Which, of course, prompted Lena to throw her head back in laughter - the kind that builds on itself until her whole body was shaking. It lasted long enough that Kara got caught up in it herself, any embarrassment forgotten in favor of Lena’s unrestrained amusement. 

Eventually, their mirth subsided and faded into a comfortable silence, with Lena dabbing away tears from the corners of her eyes. “It's been a while since I laughed this hard, Kara. Thank you.”

She gave Lena a lopsided grin. “You're welcome. I mean I'd rather it wasn't at my expense so much but-” Kara paused, a question suddenly occurring to her. “Wait, how long is a while?”

“I don’t know…” Lena looked up, thinking about it. “Years, maybe? Not since I was in college.”

“Years?!” Kara exclaimed loudly, drawing a raised eyebrow from Lena as well as some nearby diners. She mumbled a quick apology, then continued on at a near whisper, “Years? I laugh like that with my sister every pizza-and-movie night.”

“And how often is that?”

“Usually every weekend. Lately, it's been a little hit and miss, what with my ‘other job’ being busier than normal, but yeah, usually every Friday or Saturday night…” Kara trailed off upon seeing Lena’s eyes widen. “But, like, I'm really close with my sister and that's probably not normal, getting together that often,” she said, trying to backpedal. “So I’m not really a good example. Years is a little much, but-”

“Kara,” Lena interrupted. 

“Yes?”

“It's okay,” she said. “You don't need to make excuses just so my personal life seems less pathetic.” She raised a hand to forestall any protests from Kara. “I’d rather rectify the situation by doing this again, if that’s alright with you? Preferably not years from now,” she added with a wink.

Kara grinned, but underneath Lena’s levity was a serious request - one she guessed wasn't offered often or lightly. So when she answered, she let the warmth she was feeling seep into her voice.

“Yes,” she answered, her expression turning more serious. “I’d enjoy that.”

* * *

“That’s just…I don't know what to say to that. Other than that's not what comes to mind when I think of boarding school.” 

Kara shook her head in disbelief, while Lena grinned and arched an eyebrow at her as she took another bite of food - some kale quinoa bowl thing that was actually quite good when Lena insisted she try it because ‘being a superhero does not excuse you from eating healthy, you know.’

“You expected all prim and proper,” Lena said, both a question and a statement.

“Sort of,” Kara admitted.

“A lot of girls get sent to boarding school because they're anything but that. The only thing that changes is they get better at not getting caught.”

“Yourself included?”

Lena didn't reply, but her smirk was answer enough. 

“What about you?” Lena countered. “Any scandalous tales to speak of?”

Kara shook her head. “No. I was kind of boring growing up.”

“Come on…there has to have been something,” Lena insisted. “Super speeding to shoplift? X-ray vision to cheat on tests?”

“No, nothing like that.”

“Like what then?”

Kara leaned back in her seat, debating for a moment if she wanted to share the one incident that came to mind. It was something she hadn’t told anyone else about before, because for all that she didn't mind the attention she got as Supergirl, she preferred keeping her normal life out of the spotlight. Plus, the last thing she wanted was pity. But she suspected Lena wouldn’t offer that. 

“I ran away from home.”

Lena’s eyebrows raised in mild surprise, clearly not expecting that answer.

“When?”

“When I was twelve. It was a few months after the Danvers family adopted me.”

She didn’t often think about it. Didn’t like remembering how angry and confused and sad she was then, and how she’d had no choice but to try and get over those feelings as soon as possible for reasons of self-preservation. And when that failed, how she’d succumbed to her desire to escape.

“How long were you gone?”

“Eight days.”

She knew the exact number because she'd left during football season - a sport she'd become acquainted with when she’d noticed people wearing clothing with the same symbol on it. She'd thought they were all related to each other, and that the logo was a symbol of their house. But her excitement over finding a cultural commonality had deflated when she was told it was something quite different.

Regardless, she’d known she was gone for eight days because the day she ran away was ‘football day’. The following week she was in a different city - with a different logo emblazoned everywhere - and she’d returned home the night after that. 

“What made you go back?”

Kara glanced up, meeting Lena’s eyes briefly. Enough to see that she was right - there wasn’t any pity. Only curiosity, and something else she couldn’t quite identify.

She picked up her fork, pushing at her food. “I realized I wasn’t running away from them. It was everything else. This whole world that I didn't understand and didn't like, and that I had nowhere to run to because home was gone for me. Eliza and Jeremiah were familiar at least, and nice, and I knew they were probably worried sick about me and I didn't want to hurt them like that.”

Kara smiled sadly, remembering the moment she'd shown back up at the house. She'd worried over her adoptive parents’ reactions, thinking they'd be mad, but they’d only been relieved she was safe. Alex’s reaction, though, had caught her by surprise - a hug so strong it nearly knocked the wind out of Kara, and a whispered apology in her ear.

“Things changed between me and Alex after that. She stopped ignoring me. Started looking out for me instead. Eliza and Jeremiah, they did their best and they were wonderful, but Alex…Alex made me feel home again.”

Lena was quiet, her expression conflicted, as Kara’s story came to an end. When she didn't say anything, Kara asked if she was okay. 

“I'm happy for you, Kara, that you had a family like that. But I can't help feeling jealous. I had Lex when I was growing up, and he was protective of me, like Alex. But there was only so much he could do when the person he was protecting me from most was our mother.”

Lena took a sip of water, then shook her head in exasperation. “Funny thing was, I kept trying. Thought that if I just worked harder, did everything perfect, that things would get better, and that Lillian would finally show me a shred of love. Or at least some damn affection.” Lena clenched her fists, frowning. “But that never happened. And rationally I know it's her fault and it's idiotic of me to keep wanting that. Yet my first instinct when she contacts me is to chase after that love and approval. It's pathetic.”

“No, Lena. It's not pathetic to want that. Everyone wants that. But you're right, she’s the one with the problem, not you. It's not your fault.”

Lena frowned and made a dismissive gesture with her hand, trying for indifference but missing. Sensing that her emotions were bleeding through, she shifted topics, picking up the thread of their earlier conversation. “So the most out-of-line thing you've ever done was run away from home? Not that I’m dismissing that, but that’s not really the kind of rebellion I was thinking about.”

Kara shrugged. “I was trying to avoid attention. Dying your hair and getting piercings is kind of the opposite of that.”

“Being too perfect attracts attention, too, you know,” Lena countered.

“I was never perfect. Supergirl may seem that way,” she conceded, “but Kara Danvers isn’t. She’s…ordinary.”

Lena shook her head. “No, she’s not. When you walked into my office that first time…even if I hadn’t met you already, you would have stood out.” Her tone was serious, as was her expression. It wasn’t some flippant comment for Kara to brush off or joke about.

“You would have stood out to me, too,” Kara admitted.

They both stared at each other for a few moments, until Lena finally broke the charged silence. “Still,” she said, with a teasing lilt to her voice, “you really do need some more sordid experiences, if for nothing else than fun conversation.”

“Do I, now?” Kara asked, matching Lena’s playfulness. “Can’t have me going around being a boring conversationalist, now can we?”

“Certainly not.”

Kara grinned. This felt like that first night at the club. When they were both flirting and not worrying about personas or ramifications. “I guess you’ll have to figure out a solution,” Kara challenged with a raised brow.

“Oh, I’m sure I can think of something.”

* * *

‘Something’ manifested later that week.

Kara had been eager to get out of Catco - a lack of news made for some seriously irritable journalists - and was thrilled to see a text from Lena inviting her to a late lunch. She'd been excited enough to overlook the fact that the restaurant didn't open until two, and that Lena had sent her the address, but not the name of the place. 

Now, staring up at the glowing cursive lettering above the entrance, a voice in the back of Kara's head whispered that Lena's omission had been intentional. She studiously ignored it and pulled out her phone.

_K: Hey, I think I got the address wrong._

_L: The fact that you think that means you definitely didn't._

_K: ?!?!?!_

_L: ;)_

Kara stared at her phone, looked up at the building, then stared at her phone again.

Eventually she walked in, immediately bathed in neon purple lights and a slow, bass-thumping rhythm, still expecting this to be a joke of some sort. But no, Lena was there, sitting oh so casually at a table on the left. As if this were any other place.

Lena’s lips curved into a smile as Kara slid into her seat. “For a moment I thought I thought I was going to get stood up.”

“No, I just, um, had to reply to Alex about something,” she said, trying not to cringe at the terribleness of that lie, while at the same time struggling to keep her eyes from flicking towards the stage in the center of the room.

“Mmhm,” Lena smirked. “I’ll be nice and not call you out on that lie as a reward for not ditching me. I wouldn’t have wanted to eat alone.”

“You're actually here to eat?” Kara asked as she tore her gaze away from the performer, a feat made exponentially more difficult by their table’s close proximity. She didn’t need enhanced senses to fully appreciate the lithe body on display - the way the brunette arched and turned to invite prolonged looking, the sly grin she threw in Kara’s direction.

“Best new vegan restaurant in town, according to your reviewer at Catco. Which, kudos to them for not being a prude.” Lena slid a menu across to her. “I couldn't pass up the opportunity to broaden your food horizons.”

Kara narrowed her eyes at Lena. “Somehow I feel like it's other horizons you're trying to broaden.”

“Well now that all depends,” she said, her voice dropping a notch. “Are you saying you've never been to a strip club?”

Kara was fairly certain Lena expected her answer to be a yes. She couldn't help but enjoy her small look of surprise when she said, “Once. My sister and her girlfriend took me to a coed one to celebrate when I came out as bi.”

“I’m liking your sister more and more.”

“Honestly, that was more of her girlfriend’s doing,” Kara admitted. “My sister is normally more reserved, but Maggie brings a different side out of Alex. In a good way.” As she said it, Kara realized the same thing was happening between her and Lena.

“And is this good for you, too?” Lena asked, having caught on to Kara’s line of thinking. There was no teasing or facetiousness in Lena’s tone - she genuinely wanted to know. 

“At the risk of finding myself in a BDSM club for brunch next week,” Kara answered with a slight laugh, “yes, this is good. Everything with you has been good.”

Lena gave her a sincere smile, pleased with Kara’s response, before her expression turned mischievous as she picked up her menu.

“The BDSM club I like isn’t open for brunch,” she said smoothly. “So no worries there.”

Kara shook her head at Lena’s teasing, smiling as she picked up her own menu. She might be prone to blushing at Lena’s comments, but it didn’t mean she didn’t enjoy this aspect of their relationship.

Switching focus, she studied her lunch options. Kara might eat a fair amount of unhealthy food, but more often than not it was out of convenience. And as much as she disparaged salads, her problem with them generally wasn't the taste, simply that her metabolism burned through them too quickly. The taco salad looked substantial though, so she took a chance on that, along with a veggie burger and three different appetizers.

Now that the food was taken care of, the entertainment a few meters away became an unavoidable center of attention.

Lena, for her part, looked as at ease in a strip club as she did behind her desk at L-Corp. Kara tried to settle in as well, allowing some of her Supergirl attitude to bleed into her mindset and posture - sloughing off self-consciousness as she leaned into a more casual position within the curve of her chair.

Lena noticed the shift, a quick glance in Kara’s direction lingering a little too long to be a simple check-in, and that got Kara’s mind turning...maybe Lena inviting her here was about more than just pushing Kara’s buttons.

“Why did you choose this place for lunch?”

“Why wouldn’t I?” Lena looked around the room, drawing attention to their surroundings. “It’s a win-win of good food and naked women.”

“Besides that,” Kara pressed.

A slow smile formed on Lena’s face, like she was pleasantly surprised to have been discovered. “Because I’m still trying to figure you out,” she answered, appraising Kara more openly now. “Neither Supergirl nor Kara Danvers would have said yes to a one night stand with a woman whose name she didn’t even know. And yet you did. Which means you’re more than either of those two personas. I’m trying to see the whole picture.”

A twinge of emotion passed through Kara at Lena’s words. Outside of Alex - and even with her, only to some extent - no one looked at Kara that way. Like there was more below the two surfaces to find. Someone who people didn’t know. Someone who people forgot even existed.

“You’re trying to figure out Kara Zor-El,” she said.

Lena turned the glass in her hand slowly as that statement sank in. Her expression was hard to read, but if Kara had to guess she’d say Lena was taken aback that she’d shared her Kryptonian name with her. It was quite possible that Lena already knew it, but it was still significant that Kara had volunteered it. 

“I would give you my birth surname if I knew it, but Lillian refused to share any adoption information with me. All I can offer is my middle name, which is easy enough to find out on your own.”

“I’d still like to hear it from you.”

Lena paused, something too brief to identify passing over her expression.

“It’s Kieran.”

For no good reason, a sense of warmth spread through Kara at that bit of information. Like Lena said, it wasn’t a secret, but it still felt like a private exchange.

“Well, Lena Kieran Luthor,” Kara tipped her head in Lena’s direction. “I’ve been trying to figure you out, too.”

Lena looked like she was about to say something more, but their food arrived, neatly ending that conversation and launching a new one about the dishes in front of them. The food was just as good as the reviewer promised, to the point that Kara planned on eating here again, with or without Lena. Good food was good food. 

Just as Kara was debating whether or not her other friends would say yes to having their next group outing here, a new performer took the stage. One who just so happened to have Lena’s same hair color and fair skin.

They didn’t look alike, exactly, but there was a passing-enough resemblance for Kara to make the connection, and for Lena to notice Kara noticing.

“See something you like?” Lena asked smoothly.

“She kind of looks like you. So, yes.”

Lena smiled at the compliment. “I have many skills, but dancing like that, alas, is not one of them. Don’t get your hopes up for any role-playing in the future.”

Kara coughed on the water she was drinking, badly enough that she half expected the performer to stop and ask if she was okay.

Lena took a sip of her own drink, her grin widening. “Do you want me to buy you a lap dance when she’s done with her set?”

That Kara didn't say no right away said a lot about where her head was at. Between the pulsing music, Lena’s close proximity, and the now almost naked woman on stage who looked like her…it had slowly been doing things to Kara.

“I’m not hearing a ‘no,’ Kara.” Lena raised an eyebrow in challenge.

But before Kara could formulate a response, Lena’s phone buzzed a few times in quick succession. She reluctantly picked it up and read through the texts before typing a reply. After a few more back-and-forth texts, she sighed as she tucked her phone away. 

“Saved by the bell,” Lena said, directing an arched brow and smirk at Kara. “Unfortunately I have to go take care of something that just blew up at work.” She paused as she got to her feet. “Not literally,” she clarified with a half-smile, “just a clusterfuck of stupidity.”

When Kara made to stand as well, Lena waved her off. 

“Please stay and finish eating. Otherwise you’ll be hungry all day and I'll feel worse than I already do for cutting our meal short.”

Kara sat back down without a fight. This morning she’d been running late and had barely managed to wolf down a couple of bagels. She needed to finish this meal or she’d be useless at work. 

“Thank you, Kara. It was a pleasure as usual.” Lena leaned down to press a soft kiss to her cheek, letting it linger for a moment.

Without thinking Kara turned into it, just enough so that when Lena pulled away their lips brushed. It didn't go unnoticed, as Lena held Kara’s gaze for a few moments longer, analyzing and assessing. 

It was enough time that Kara could have stood up and kissed her properly, but she held back. There was no rush, and on top of her legitimate reasons for approaching this relationship with caution, Kara couldn't deny that she was enjoying this little cat and mouse game going on between them. She had a strong feeling Lena did, too.

With a small, satisfied smile, Lena turned and exited. At the same time, a couple of businessmen sat down a few tables over. And that’s when Kara realized she was now sitting by herself, having lunch in a strip club.

The dancer caught her eye, gave her a wink, and Kara thought Winn would give just about anything to have a picture of this.


	4. Chapter 4

Lena had been to lunch several times now with Kara, but outside of a few limited crises she'd yet to spend any real time with the Supergirl side of her. Therefore she wasn’t expecting the soft knock on the glass, and she could be excused for the undignified yelp of surprise she let out in response.

The hero apologized the moment Lena opened the balcony door to her office for her.

“It's fine,” Lena assured her. “What's the problem?”

“What do you mean?”

Lena scrunched her eyebrows in confusion, pointing at Kara’s crest. “I assume there’s an emergency you need my help with?”

“Oh,” Kara shook her head, looking at the floor slightly abashed. “Sorry, I just, um, I saw you were still here, so I thought-”

She paused and took a breath, and Lena watched, transfixed, as Kara’s posture straightened, her stance becoming more even - her Supergirl persona shining forth. But the insecurity was still there, in her eyes.

“I wanted company,” she said directly. “But if you're busy, that's fine.”

Lena understood now why Kara wasn’t recognized as Supergirl. Most people had contradictory aspects of their personalities, but they coexisted and shifted based on the situation. Kara, however, very firmly separated those facets of herself. Supergirl was all outward confidence, bordering on cockiness. Kara Danvers was hesitant and almost comically awkward.

But right now, Lena was seeing the two sides of her bleeding into each other. 

“I am busy,” Lena admitted. “Unfortunately I have a lengthy overseas call I have to make in about five minutes. So it depends on what you mean by company. You're welcome to stay, for as long as you want. But if you need someone to talk to-”

“Not talking is fine,” Kara interrupted. “It's preferable, actually. I just don't feel like being alone in my apartment right now.”

Lena nodded, retaking her seat behind her desk while Kara sat down on her couch, head in her hands for a moment before laying down, an arm thrown across her face. 

Lena pulled open the drawer to her desk, grabbing a few takeout flyers. “If you're hungry, I'm putting a few menus on my desk. Feel free to order whatever you’d like.”

“Okay,” Kara replied quietly.

She didn't dwell on Kara’s mood, needing to do some last minute prep. But about an hour or so into the call, Kara roused herself and wandered over to Lena’s desk to peruse the food options. She settled on Chinese, walking to the other side of the room to make the call without disturbing Lena.

Twenty minutes later she disappeared, presumably going downstairs to get the delivery. That must have been an interesting sight, Lena thought, seeing Supergirl doing something as mundane as paying for takeout. 

Just as Lena was wrapping up, Kara re-entered the room with two armloads of food. Lena wasn't shocked by the amount, but she was surprised when Kara started placing several containers off to the side on the coffee table.

“I wasn't sure what you were in the mood for, so I got a few different things,” she explained as she sat down on the couch.

Lena tried not to let her surprise show. As if someone being thoughtful towards her, particularly while going through their own issues, wasn’t an unheard-of thing.

“You didn't have to get me anything,” she argued weakly.

Kara stopped and looked at her as if she'd sprouted another limb.

“Lena, is there any chance you actually ate dinner yet?”

“It’s been a long day,” she replied in lieu of an answer.

“Right. So sit. Eat.” Kara grabbed two pairs of chopsticks, placing one set next to Lena and keeping the other for herself as she opened the first container in front of her, the matter apparently settled.

Not wanting to give in quite so easily, Lena walked over to the bar and poured herself a glass of wine. She almost returned the bottle to the cabinet, then thought better of it and filled a second glass.

“I know the alcohol won't affect you,” she said, sitting down next to Kara, “but I think you might appreciate the flavor of this one. It's sweeter than most.”

Kara had specifically mentioned she didn't care much for wine, and yet she picked the glass up without hesitation and took a sip. It wasn’t a big deal, but still, it showed a level of trust Lena wasn’t accustomed to. Or maybe Kara was simply being polite and Lena was reading into it too much. But it didn't come across that way, and Kara was nothing if not an open book with her emotions - something Lena appreciated more than Kara knew. None of the head games, closely guarded feelings, or hidden agendas that were part and parcel of Lena’s everyday life.

Kara nodded. “You're right. This is, like, night-and-day better,” she said, taking a larger swallow. “I hope you like what I ordered you. But if you don't that's fine. Just let me know so I can make a better attempt next time.”

When Lena sat down and opened the first box, she was more than a little surprised. “I didn't think they had salads on the menu.” As a matter of fact, Lena was sure of that.

“They didn't. I asked them if they could come up with something.”

Lena turned and looked at her. “I’ve ordered from them before. They get annoyed when you even so much as modify a dish.” The only reason she even kept ordering from them was because their food was good and they delivered late.

“Yeah, they did seem aggravated at first. But I asked them nicely a few more times and eventually I won them over,” she said, giving Lena a wink.

Lena shook her head, and as she opened the other two containers she idly thought that the world had better hope Supergirl stayed a hero, because that level of persuasiveness would be truly dangerous if she ever switched teams. Her point was proven further when, looking down, it appeared that both her tofu broccoli and sesame vegetables were absent of any garlic, which Kara must have specifically requested as well.

She didn't know which impressed her more - the fact that Kara knew her dietary preferences this well already from pure observation alone, or that she cared enough to go through the trouble. She'd been in full-fledged relationships and never had a partner show that level of awareness and consideration before.

Lena laid her hand on Kara’s thigh, just high enough to be more than a friendly gesture, and murmured, “Thank you. This is wonderful.” Lightly rubbing her thumb in a circular motion a few times, she waited until the inevitable blush appeared, then withdrew her hand and started in on her meal.

From the beginning Lena knew she was in danger of being friend-zoned, regardless of the fact that they'd already had sex. Because friendship, while not without the Super/Luthor complications, would certainly be easier for Kara to justify than any sort of intimate relationship. So starting with that first lunch, Lena quite deliberately initiated moments like this last one, reminders that Kara and Lena were more than friends. Sometimes through physical touch, other times with lingering looks or verbal foreplay - none of which would be appropriate for a mere friendship.

Of course, if Kara had shown any sort of discomfort or resistance, Lena would have stopped. But to the contrary, Kara seemed receptive to Lena’s advances. Uncertain as to what she wanted to do about it, yes, but definitely open to them.

“Thank you for letting me hang out here for a while.”

“I'm sorry I wasn't better company,” Lena apologized. She’d been frank about her inability to offer real companionship earlier, but it didn’t mean she hadn’t wished the situation to be otherwise. 

“It was fine, really. Oddly enough listening to you rattle off business statistics was kind of soothing. Usually when I'm feeling like this I'll go to the library, but my down time keeps getting pushed later and later and the ones I like to go to were closed.”

Lena fought back a twitch of amusement, knowing that Supergirl had a preferred list of libraries.

“There are a couple of twenty-four hour ones you could check out,” she offered, trying to be helpful.

“I have.” Kara frowned as she stabbed at a piece of eggplant. “The people there are grumpy.”

Lena chuckled at the put-out expression on Kara’s face. “Yes, well that's not surprising. The only people that go after-hours are desperate college students and lawyers.”

“And apparently me,” Kara muttered. She reached for another box of food and caught the small smile that had crept onto Lena’s face, despite her best efforts at suppressing it. “What?”

“Nothing.”

“You're laughing at me.” Kara’s eyes narrowed playfully, feigning anger.

“I’m not.”

“You are.”

“I’m not,” Lena insisted. “It’s just the idea of Supergirl, spending her free time at the local library…”

“Well, it’s not like I wear the suit when I’m there,” Kara grumbled.

Lena laughed loudly as that image came to mind. Supergirl, sitting at a table, her cape over the back of a chair, completely engrossed in a book. Kara joined in her laughter after a few moments, eyes shining as her despondence from earlier abated.

“Thank you. Again.”

“For laughing at you? Not a problem,” Lena quipped.

“For helping me feel better.”

Lena waited until the remaining laughter faded away, wanting to communicate her sincerity when she said, “Anytime, Kara.”

They continued with their meals, Lena deliberately eating slowly so as not to finish too soon. By now Kara was probably unfazed by dinner companions finishing well before her, but just because Kara was used to her ‘otherness’ didn’t mean she wanted reminders of it.

After boxing up the meager leftovers, they settled more comfortably on the couch, but Kara started to fidget with her cape, her mood seeming to regress somewhat.

“Can I ask you a question?” she asked.

Lena tensed. In her experience, requests for permission invariably prefaced uncomfortable discussions. However, not asking the question meant they were still harboring those thoughts, and Lena would rather have whatever Kara was thinking about out in the open.

“Of course,” Lena replied.

“Do you ever feel guilty?”

Lena froze. She didn’t know what question she expected, but it wasn’t that. And certainly not from Kara. She steeled herself for the followup - a litany of terrible infractions her family and LuthorCorp had committed - but it didn’t happen. Instead, Kara nearly tripped over her words in her haste to backtrack.

“Sorry! That came out wrong. I didn't mean it to sound like I was accusing you.”

Lena relaxed her body a fraction.

“What did you mean then?” Her tone wasn’t harsh, exactly, but it did demand an explanation.

Kara let out a breath, dropping her head onto the back of the couch to stare at the ceiling. She looked tired. And aggravated. Adjectives Lena would normally never use to describe Supergirl. 

“I love being Supergirl. I love being able to help so many people. But sometimes I just want a break. Sometimes I don't like that this,” Kara pointed at the symbol on her chest, “always takes priority. Especially when I know I’m being called not out of need, but out of habit or convenience.”

Oh.

Lena let go of the remaining tension in her body, understanding now that this wasn’t about her. Not directly. This was about the too-large responsibility on Kara’s shoulders. Which was probably the reason for Kara’s demeanor when she first arrived at Lena’s office.

“How do you deal with it? Running L-Corp. Do you feel guilty if you take a break? Is that why you work nonstop?”

If only, Lena thought.

“No,” she confessed. “My reasons are much more self-centered than that.”

Lena leaned over the coffee table and picked up a chess piece. It was the pawn, a choice some therapist would likely enjoy analyzing for hours on end.

“I was twelve, the first time I defeated my brother at chess,” she said. “I’d been playing against him for several years before it finally happened, and when it did I was so excited. Not because I won and he lost, but because Lex excelled at it and for me to win…it proved Lillian was wrong. That I wasn’t second best at everything compared to him. That, and the fact that I looked up to him, and his expression when I called checkmate - he looked so proud of me.”

Lena turned the pawn over in her hand, rubbing her fingers over the polished surface. 

“At dinner that night, Lex told Lillian what happened. She looked at me, and for a second I stupidly thought she was going to congratulate me. Or at least give me a backhanded compliment that it was about time I showed a skill of some sort - which would have been something, at least. But no, she didn’t say a word to me. She took a sip of her wine, then turned to my brother and chastised him for being too nice to me. Then - just in case I somehow missed the implication - she flat out told him I’d never get any better if he let me win.” Lena’s face twisted at the memory. “And even though I knew that wasn’t true, Lillian still managed to plant a seed of doubt. She knew I was so starved for love that I would doubt my own achievement because it would reinforce Lex’s affection for me.”

Lena caught Kara’s expression out of the corner of her eye. She looked appalled.

“Every time you talk about your mother, I end up hating her a little more.”

“Hm. Join the club.”

Lena put the piece back down on the board. “So that’s the reason why I push myself so hard when it comes to running this company. With anything else I might do, Lillian would find room to doubt me. She’d argue that Lex could do better if he was given the task, or that if I somehow did better, that he wasn’t trying hard enough in the first place. But not this. Lillian wouldn’t accept anything less than Lex’s best when it came to running this company.” She turned to look at Kara. “I want to be better than he was. I want to prove her wrong.” Then she took it a step further, letting Kara have a peek at the darkness underneath. “And I want her to hurt because of it.”

Kara didn’t say anything. She just nodded, her expression hard and distant, fists tight at her sides. And for the second time that night, but this time in all seriousness, she imagined a Supergirl with fewer moral restrictions, and that the world better hope she remained a hero. 

“Ask them to cut back on their calls to you,” Lena said, abruptly steering back to the original topic. Because this wasn’t supposed to be about her, this was supposed to be about Kara’s misplaced remorse.

Kara blinked once before flicking her eyes over to Lena.

“I do at times,” she said, relaxing her posture and letting out a small sigh. “And then I have to shove away the guilt that comes from knowing my wanting to go out for coffee or hang out with my friends might be costing people their lives.”

That was one of several reasons why Lena didn’t envy people with superpowers. There were always downsides. If not physical or mental, then philosophical.

“People die, Kara. Constantly. Giving up all of your free time - martyring yourself - isn’t the answer. It might work for a while but eventually it’ll take its toll. You’ll end up miserable, you’ll get sloppy, and you’ll want to give up altogether.” Lena reached out, laying her hand overtop of Kara’s. “Your life has to be more than just your job.”

Kara turned and looked at her pointedly. “So says the workaholic.”

Lena smiled. “Why do you think I was at that masquerade party? Why do you think I’m pursuing a relationship with you now? We each need time for ourselves, Kara. Doing whatever we want with whomever we want to.”

Kara’s eyes dropped down to Lena’s lips, then came back up again, but she didn’t move forward.

With anyone else, Lena would have taken the initiative and closed the gap. But she needed Kara to make that move first. Because for all the intimate conversations and details they’d shared thus far, Kara was still unsure of her. Lena felt it. Kara needed to truly trust her for things to ever work out between them - as both friends and more than friends. And Lena wanted it to work. But what little trust had been extended so far would evaporate if Kara ever felt like she was being seduced.

So when Kara flushed, turned away, and reached for the remainder of her drink, Lena let her. 

It was a fine line, between flirtation and seduction, and Lena was determined to walk it. And right now, just sitting next to Kara, watching her enjoy her wine and laugh and talk about nothing…

It was enough. 

* * *

Kara was feeling on edge, and with good reason. Lena had requested getting together after work, which was a departure from their usual lunch dates. 

Memories of the strip club conversation had leapt to mind, and Kara had given into her need to know and asked Lena where she was taking her. Lena had replied it wasn't anything outlandish or kinky, qualifying it with a ’not this time,’ followed by a ‘but you seem rather interested’ tease - none of which alleviated her concern over their destination tonight. 

Upon arriving, however, she was pleasantly surprised to find herself at a normal-enough looking bar. And when she walked in and saw the old-school video games lined along the walls, her eyes lit up with excitement.

“Hi,” she heard in her ear, Lena having sidled up to Kara without her noticing. 

Kara ignored the shiver caused by Lena’s lips ghosting across her skin, turning to Lena to state almost reverently, “You brought me to an arcade bar.”

Lena chuckled at her response. “I take it you're happy.”

Kara’s eyes lit up.

“You have no idea,” she said, before pulling Lena over to peruse the games, seeing if there were any she was familiar with. “There used to be this miniature golf place where I grew up that had a few old games like this. They were my favorite thing to do. Oh, here! I know this one!” 

Lena pressed some coins into her hand, but before getting started Kara turned and pulled Lena up against her.

Last time they were together she’d almost kissed Lena, but she’d held back, stuck thinking too far ahead. Not this time, though. This time, with Lena’s words from that night echoing in her head, Kara chose to do what she wanted to - she kissed Lena softly, followed by a whispered, “Thank you.”

The look of surprise in Lena’s eyes was priceless.

“If I'd have known that's the reaction I'd get, I would have brought you here much sooner,” she replied with a quirk of her eyebrow.

“You say that now,” Kara teased, “but your tune will change once we’re playing. I’m really good at these games.”

“You’re really good at a lot of things,” Lena said, her eyes briefly flicking to Kara’s lips. Kara responded by kissing her again, this time letting it linger a little before stepping back.

They played for about an hour, although truth be told that was almost exclusively Kara, with Lena only joining in occasionally on a few two-player games. Kara had told Lena she could go off on her own - she didn't have to just stand there and watch her play - but Lena declined, saying she was more entertained watching Kara.

After corralling Lena into a game of air hockey - which Lena was unfairly good at for claiming to have never played - they found a table to take a breather and order some food. 

“Thank you again for this. I'm sure it's not your first choice of places to go.”

“You’d be surprised.” A wry smile crept across Lena’s face. “When you attend as many fundraisers and corporate events as I do, you start to crave something a bit different.”

“Regardless,” Kara insisted, pushing past Lena’s tendency to downplay compliments and thanks aimed in her direction, “it was thoughtful of you to choose this place.”

For once, Lena acquiesced, murmuring a ‘you're welcome’ before leaving to retrieve another round of drinks. As she walked away, two things occurred to Kara at once. One, that Lena did, in fact, own jeans, and looked far better in them than she had any right to. And two, that her concerns about Lena’s motives were steadily melting away.

It was possible that Lena had a long play in mind, and that she was spy-level good at deception, but honestly that could be a concern with anyone Kara met. At some point she just had to choose whether or not to trust someone.

And hope they didn’t end up hurting her - intentionally or otherwise.

* * *

Kara tried not to fidget as she stood a little bit aways from the other patrons, elbows resting on the railing as she looked over top of the city.

The cocktail bar had a gorgeous rooftop terrace, and while a view like this was far easier for her to come by, she was usually too caught up in responsibilities to fly for simple enjoyment much these days. And right now the weather was perfect - warm but not hot, with a gentle breeze blowing in from the water. The sun was just starting to set, which meant the amazing view was about to get even better.

Normally a place like this on a Friday night would be packed, but this wasn’t a typical bar. It catered to an elite crowd and your name needed to carry the right amount of gravitas to be allowed entry. Lena certainly wouldn’t have had a problem, but Kara wanted to surprise her with an evening out together, and had cashed in a favor with Ms. Grant to make it happen.

So here she was, wearing a dress beyond her price point, waiting to have cocktails with Lena.

And not having a clue as to what she was doing.

She straightened and turned, thinking of getting a glass of water from the bar, but that plan fell to the wayside when she spotted her walking in. 

Kara never failed to notice how sharply attractive Lena looked in her day-to-day business attire. But seeing her outside the office, wearing a dress that hugged her curves sinfully - well, that was another story altogether, and she found herself swallowing hard at the sudden pull of desire that coursed through her.

Lena seemed to be equally taken by what Kara was wearing, if the slow gaze down the length of Kara’s body was any indication. 

“Hi,” Kara nearly whispered, before clearing her throat. “You look amazing.”

“Thank you.” Lena snuck in another glance at Kara’s dress. “You look quite stunning yourself.”

Lena casually slipped her arm into the crook of Kara’s elbow, slowly walking them over to the bar. “So what’s the occasion? You were a little shy on the details when you texted me.”

“No occasion.” Kara shrugged. “Well, not really. After our last excursion, I wanted to pick someplace that fell a little more in line with your tastes.”

“I liked the arcade,” Lena protested.

“Okay, but…” Kara took a breath. “I don’t know. I just wanted to take you someplace really nice.”

When Lena didn’t say anything, Kara snuck a glance over at her, suddenly a little nervous. Like maybe she’d guessed wrong or gone a little overboard.

Lena caught her looking, though, and squeezed her arm in reassurance.

“It's perfect, Kara. Truly.”

She reinforced her words by leaning in and pressing a light kiss just below Kara’s jaw, before turning to the bartender to order drinks and light appetizers for the both of them.

They talked and drank and ate, discussing things of little importance, mostly work-related anecdotes that neither could comfortably discuss with anyone else. It was pleasant and easy, and Kara more than once had to remind herself to pay attention to the words being said and not just the person saying them.

About an hour later, with the stars beginning to speckle the sky, she found herself once again leaning on the railing, but this time with Lena beside her. The distance between them had dwindled so that their forearms kept brushing against each other, and Kara couldn't help the light blush that appeared and didn't seem to want to go away.

“So, Kara…this feels a lot like a date.”

Kara didn’t reply right away, because the whole time she'd been planning this evening she’d studiously avoided reading into the implications of it. 

Her first instinct was to deflect, to ask Lena why it mattered. But it did matter. Lena wanted to know where they stood, and it would be unfair of her to hedge when Lena had been upfront from the start.

She took a few moments to try and gather her thoughts, and when she finally spoke it came out haltingly.

“I'm not ready to, you know, go full steam ahead,” she said, clasping her hands together in front of her. “Not yet.”

The yet was important.

“But if you're okay with doing this sort of thing, sometimes, along with our more low key get-togethers…then, yes, this would be a date.”

She turned to meet Lena’s gaze.

“Is that okay?”

Lena brushed her fingers over top of Kara’s. “Very much okay. Just keep me in the loop on the occasions it’s a date, so I can approach things between us properly.”

Kara nodded, letting out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, while at the same time feeling a flutter of nervousness at the thought that this was an official date. But rather than spiral downward into that feeling, she did something she’d been thinking about all evening - she leaned into Lena’s space and kissed her. And not a soft fleeting thing, either.

Kara kissed her with intent, and when she pulled back it was only far enough to give Lena a moment to process, for her to decide whether or not this should continue. 

Lena slid her hand around Kara’s forearm, pulling Kara in close again.

Their kissing never strayed too deep - they weren’t exactly alone, even though most people were congregating closer to the bar - but it was the most intimate they’d been with each other since Kara had gone home with Lena that first night. 

Kara was the one to pull back first, and when she did the nerves she’d pushed away before returned full force. She found herself looking away as she touched at her glasses, unsure of what to do or say next. This in-between state of their relationship had Kara feeling hesitant. When it was just flirting and sex, Kara had no problem being decisive in her interactions with Lena. But she hadn’t made her mind up yet on what she actually wanted with Lena - friends with benefits, something more, something less - and her actions reflected it. 

Luckily Lena rescued her from her own awkwardness, leading her towards the bar to get another round of drinks.

“You’re thinking too much,” Lena said, interrupting her thoughts. “Which I know is laughable coming from me, but still.”

Kara nodded, taking a sip of whatever drink Lena bought her. Lena started talking about a new project at work, and Kara knew it was simply a distraction, but she appreciated it either way. Soon enough she found herself getting curious, asking questions and getting caught up in the finer details of it. Time passed quickly - too quickly - and eventually Lena was apologizing that she needed to get going. 

Kara had ahold of Lena’s hand as they exited the building, Lena’s car already waiting out front for her. When they got within a few feet of the vehicle, Lena stopped and turned so they could say their goodbyes.

“Tonight was wonderful, Kara. I enjoyed this. A lot.”

“So did I,” Kara replied back softly.

Lena leaned in and placed a chaste kiss on Kara’s lips, but when she went to step back Kara moved in closer, pulling Lena in for another kiss, this one deeper. As Lena’s mouth opened to her, Kara turned slightly to pin Lena against the car, pulling forth a gasp as their bodies pressed more fully against each other. Only when her hands tightened against Lena’s sides, twitching with the need to explore, did Kara force herself to step back. Their gazes caught and held, until finally Lena wished her a good night and stepped into her car.

As the vehicle pulled away, Kara couldn’t help listening in on the heartbeat inside, noting it’s elevated rate. It was reassuring to know that Lena was affected by this, too, and a reminder that this wasn’t a one-way street. Lena was asking for Kara’s trust, and to get it she was opening up to Kara. She was trusting Kara not to hurt her, to not be like every other person in her life thus far. The only problem was, Kara didn’t know what she was doing.

No, that was wrong. She knew what she was doing - she just didn’t know where she and Lena were going. And that could end up hurting both Lena and herself.

Kara turned on her heel towards home, thoughts swirling.

What she did know was that she liked spending time with Lena. And she liked kissing her. And she wasn’t going to look too far beyond that for now.


	5. Chapter 5

Lena had learned early on in her tenure as CEO that the stress of this job wasn’t something you could fight head-on. It was too constant and all-consuming for that. You had to let it pass through you, not let yourself get worked up by everyone else’s anger or panic or frustration. Usually she was pretty good at doing just that. But not this week.

These past several days, it was as if every single person she’d interacted with had been tasked to find and drain her patience down to it’s last reserve, until she’d finally succumbed and absorbed the stress into her own body.

And now she was paying for it physically, with knots in her shoulders and neck, and a possible headache on the horizon.

She stretched her arms over her head, then rolled her head from side to side, trying to loosen it up even a fraction. Maybe she could con a massage out of Kara when she returned from whatever emergency had stolen her away a short while ago.

Kara’s evening visits had picked up in frequency, and even when they didn’t talk much Lena still found those nights significantly more enjoyable than ones she spent alone at the office - which was both a revelation and question mark to Lena. Was it the basic human contact she was latching onto, or Kara in particular? She had a suspicion it was the latter, but decided that was a thought best left buried. The last thing she wanted was to be dependent on anyone. The scars from Lillian were barely healed over, and the wounds Lex left on Lena were still raw and painful.

Just as she reached for her keyboard to scroll through yet another report, Supergirl dropped onto her balcony. 

“That was quick,” Lena commented, surprised.

“Yeah, Alex let me skip out on the debrief. I think she felt guilty. The agent who made the call is new and doesn't understand yet that ‘alien criminal’ doesn't automatically mean ‘Supergirl emergency.’” As she was talking, Kara started putting her civilian clothes back on over her suit. It was unnecessary with everyone else at L-Corp having long since left for the night, but Lena suspected it had to do with Kara’s state of mind more than anything. Usually when she showed up at Lena’s office it was as Supergirl, the only exception being when she needed a quote for an article. Tonight was different. She'd texted asking if she could come by - normally she just flew in unannounced - then arrived in street clothes, proceeding to work from her laptop for about an hour before getting the call from Alex. And then, for the first time, Lena had gotten to see the actual transformation - which had been quite the sight to behold.

In the back of her mind, she knew it shouldn't have fazed her. She knew Kara was Supergirl. But witnessing her removing her glasses, letting her hair down, and pulling open her shirt in a seamless ritual had been breathtaking…and also quite the turn on.

Lena had dimly been aware she'd tightened her grip on her chair, but other than that she thought she’d hidden her reaction pretty well. And if Kara hadn't turned back to say goodbye, Lena would have been in the clear. But she did turn back. And Kara’s mouth curled up just the slightest in a knowing grin before she flew off. 

Afterwards, Lena had taken comfort in the fact that her hormones would have time to settle down while Supergirl was busy with whatever disaster needed her attention. But no. Here she was back in her office less than a half an hour later, with Lena still feeling restless. 

Kara wasn't helping the matter right now either. She'd pulled all of her clothes back on, but she'd left the top two buttons of her shirt open - the crest of her suit peeking through. And she'd slipped her glasses back on, but left her hair down. Lena was seeing an amalgamation of Kara’s identities. It summoned the attractive qualities from both sides of her personalities, combining into one achingly desirable woman.

Lena turned back towards the paperwork on her desk before she did something reckless. Things had been moving along between them, albeit slowly, and the last thing she wanted was a setback.

However...that didn't mean she couldn't have a little fun.

Fighting back a grin, Lena slipped her hand up along the back of her neck, squeezing at the tightness still there. Without even having to fake it, a slight moan of pain escaped her lips.

As expected, Kara immediately turned towards her. “Are you okay?” she asked, voice filled with concern. 

Lena winced as she turned her head. “I'm just a bit sore. It's been a rather stressful past few days.”

“Can I help?” Kara took a step forward. “I can try and loosen up some of the knots if you want.”

“You don’t have to.”

Kara ignored Lena’s half-hearted refusal. “Just your neck or your shoulders, too?”

“Shoulders, too,” she answered, fighting off the smile that threatened to emerge when Kara stepped up behind her chair. That had been altogether too easy.

“Let me know if it's too hard, okay.”

Lena smirked, a smart-ass comeback on the tip of her tongue, but then Kara’s thumbs dug into Lena’s shoulder blades and all thought flew out the window, her hands scrambling against her desk for something to hold onto.

It took nearly thirty seconds for her body to recover from its shock, to gradually acclimate to the deep pressure rolling across her neck and back. 

Kara’s hands found a particularly sore spot where her neck and shoulder met, and Lena moaned. It was on accident the first time, but the groans and gasps after were completely intentional, and definitely noticed.

“Right there,” she breathed out. “Yeah. A little harder.” And when Kara complied, she moaned again, adding, “Oh my god, Kara,” for good measure, fairly certain that Kara’s body bucked into the back of her chair at that.

Lena’s actions were obvious, the innuendo plain as day. But to call Lena out on it, to ask her to be less vocal, would be uncomfortable for Kara at the very least. Possibly mortifying. Her only real choice was to try and ignore Lena, and if the twitch of Kara’s hand was any indication, she was failing spectacularly at that. 

After a few more minutes Kara slowly withdrew her hands, her voice strained as she asked, “Was that okay?”

Lena sighed in pleasure. “That was amazing, Kara.”

She slowly sat up, expecting Kara to be halfway to the safety of the couch. But instead she was greeted by a very stationary, very hot and bothered looking Kara.

Presuming she'd already pushed the envelope as far as it would go, Lena stood and gestured towards the couch, about to ask Kara if she wanted to keep working while Lena ordered some food. She only got as far as, “Did you-” before one hand was on her hip, the other at the back of her neck, pulling her into a hard, deep kiss.

The surprise of it brought her thoughts to a halt, which was a rarity for Lena. Of all the things she was good at, turning her mind off wasn’t one of them, but oh was it blissfully quiet in her head right now.

Lena focused on the sensations washing through her - pulse-pounding breathlessness, low-coiling heat, fluttering anticipation - while striving to return every kiss and touch. She had a dim awareness of being edged backwards, until she felt herself bump up against her desk. Then Kara leaned forward, and as Lena’s body arched back she suddenly became more cognizant of her surroundings, flattening her hand onto the surface behind her to brace herself.

Kara took advantage of Lena’s now-exposed throat, licking a wet path upwards before finding Lena’s lower lip and biting down - hard enough for Lena to feel but not enough to hurt. She released it a beat later, allowing Lena to pull her into a rough, messy kiss as Kara’s hand snaked behind Lena’s back, pulling her blouse up and out of her skirt.

Once her fingers started sliding along the bare skin of Lena’s spine, Kara suddenly slowed down, pulling out of the kiss to rest her forehead against Lena’s.

Her eyes were closed as she breathed heavily against Lena, prompting Lena to gently touch her face and ask if she was okay. 

“I'm fine,” she replied, a little dazed. “Just a little too fast. I don't like-” she paused to swallow thickly, “I shouldn't lose control like that.”

Lena caught the correction, but chose not to comment on it. They could discuss Kara’s conflicting feelings of ‘like’ versus ‘should’ at a later date. Just so long as Kara’s only regret right now was the speed of her actions and not the person she was doing them with. 

Once Kara got her breathing under control, Lena leaned forward until they were standing upright and no longer half draped over her desk. 

“I'm sorry,” Kara apologized, watching as she tucked her blouse back into place. 

“Don't be.” Lena gave her an understanding smile as she stepped closer to Kara, reaching up and fastened the two open buttons of Kara’s shirt to remove the temptation. Before Kara tried apologizing again, Lena strolled back to her desk and pulled open the drawer of takeout menus. 

“Hungry?”

“Starving,” Kara replied as she fell backwards onto the couch. 

Lena smiled wryly at her disheveled appearance.

In more ways than one, she thought.

* * *

Kara closed her apartment door behind Alex, cleaning up the empty pizza boxes and texting her sister another quick thank you for the food. One of the big perks of Kara working with the DEO? Her sister could officially pick up the tab with the agency’s credit card.

Kneeling on the floor, she pulled out the garment bag she’d stowed under her bed prior to Alex’s visit. If Alex had seen it, Kara would have spent the night being interrogated instead of watching movies with her sister, and as bad as that last film had been - the characters were literally explaining the plot halfway through it - it was still better than being grilled by Alex.

She’d already told her sister she was going to the gala on Friday - that wasn’t why she was avoiding a discussion about it. It was that Alex was under the impression she was covering the event for Catco. Which she was, technically. But she’d offered to do the write-up because she was already going to be there. And she was already going to be there because Lena had asked Kara to go with her.

More than just asked, though. It wasn’t some ‘by the way’ in between bites of takeout, or a dropped-off invitation. Lena had formally invited her, and had even bought Kara a dress when she said she had nothing appropriate to wear.

Kara unzipped the bag, and she was struck again by just how beautiful the dress was. Beautiful and expensive. A ‘two digits too many’ on the price tag sort of expensive. She could have tried telling Alex it was a rental, but while Kara was getting better at subterfuge - lying by omission or stretching the truth were now within her range - she was a far cry away from flat-out lying to her sister. Alex would have inevitably ferreted out the truth, and wow, that would have opened the floodgates.

Her sister had no idea she was having lunches with Lena regularly or that Kara was spending more and more of her evenings at Lena’s office. And finding that out, along with the fact that Lena gave her that dress - there’s no way Alex wouldn't read into that as something beyond mere friendship.

What that something was, though, Kara still couldn't define.

Right now, the needle was stuck at ‘friends with partial benefits’, and that was on Kara’s shoulders. Lena was assuredly ready for more - had been since day one - but she was following Kara’s pace, likely because she suspected Kara would bolt at the first excuse. And that was still a possibility, but it had nothing to do with Lena’s last name anymore.

Kara was feeling the urge to run from this not because she didn’t want a relationship with Lena, but because she wanted something more than what was being offered. Friends with benefits didn’t seem like enough. And the possibility of falling hard and having that not be returned scared her. Yet she was certain she didn't want to stop seeing Lena. So running away right now, while tempting, wasn’t palatable either.

It left Kara unsure, with a dress in her hands worth more than some people’s cars, and a text on her phone asking her when she was sending a picture of herself in it.

Kara tossed her phone onto the bed and started undressing. She was fully aware that this was one short step away from sexting, but in for a penny, in for a pound, she supposed.

After sliding the zipper up, she stepped in front of the mirror and was taken aback once again by how she looked in this dress. Maroon, sleeveless, and deceptively simple, she’d never realized how much of a difference smooth lines and expert tailoring could make. Kara had offered to visit a few stores on her own, but Lena had rejected that notion out of hand, instead texting over an address of a shop that catered to a more elite clientele. Kara wasn’t normally one to say she could get used to this, but having a personal assistant that knew exactly what styles and colors would look best on her was a relief. 

She sent the requested photo, and a few moments later Lena reciprocated with one of her own - wearing an off-the-shoulder black dress that dipped dangerously low in front - and Kara nearly crushed her phone. Because on top of how much she liked Lena as a person, Kara couldn't deny how attracted she was to her physically, too. Lena was captivatingly beautiful, both inside and out.

Kara fell backwards onto the bed, still staring at the picture of Lena, ignoring the burgeoning realization that breaking things off wouldn't solve this, either. Maybe earlier on, before she’d gotten to know Lena’s mind and soul as intimately as she knew her body. But now it was too late. Now she was in too deep.

_K: You look gorgeous_

_L: So do you. Thank you for doing this._

_K: For sending you a picture? Or for going to the gala?_

_L: Both. But I meant the gala. The pictures are just a pleasant bonus ;)_

_K: Happy to help on both fronts. What time should I get there?_

_L: Around 8?_

_K: Ok_

_L: What are you doing now?_

_K: Trying to get out of this dress_

_L: Feel free to send more pictures once you’re successful_

_K: Sure thing…as soon as I get my pajamas on ;)_

_L: You’re no fun_

Lena probably didn’t expect Kara to actually send more pictures.

And even if she did, she probably thought Kara would go with the first thing she found in her drawer - in this case, a matching set with puppies and donuts printed all over it. Instead Kara rooted around for something a bit less cutesy, finding a white camisole and a light blue striped pair of soft cotton pants.

And the picture should have been something quick. But no, she took an extra minute to position herself with her back against the headboard, the light from the floor lamp giving a soft glow while leaving her partially in shadow.

And when the strap of her top fell to the side…well, she definitely should have pushed that back up instead of leaving it halfway down her shoulder.

Kara sent it before she could overthink it and quickly finished getting ready for bed, trying to ignore her nervousness about Lena’s response. It’s not like she was wearing lingerie and being blatant about it, but it was flirty and meant to get a reaction.

When she heard the telltale buzz, she picked up her phone to see two replies.

_L: I take back my last response._

_L: Hold on a sec._

Kara clambered into bed, scrolling back to the picture of Lena in her gala dress while she waited for Lena to reply.

A minute later Kara figured out what Lena had been doing, as another photo came through. 

Lena was also sitting in bed, leaning against her headboard. But unlike Kara, she wore a black silky robe - the same one she’d worn after they’d slept together. It was gaping slightly at the top, revealing an expanse of pale smooth skin. And the look on Lena’s face…

Kara inhaled loudly, and okay, yeah, maybe this was a bad idea. 

_K: That’s unfair._

_L: ??_

_K: When I send you pictures you don’t have to worry about accidentally breaking your phone_

_L: That feels like a personal challenge now..._

Kara wasn’t surprised when another photo came through. 

Lena had pushed the robe off both of her shoulders, one breast partially revealed, the other covered by Lena’s arm reaching down the front of her. The picture cut off before Kara could see where her hand was, but it didn’t take a strong imagination to figure out.

A half second later, Kara felt and saw the telltale cracking of her screen, just as another message from Lena came through.

_L: A new phone will be on your desk first thing in the morning. Unless, of course, you say otherwise._

Dammit.

_K: Goodnight, Lena_

_L: ;)_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Every comment is always a lovely surprise. Thank you :)
> 
> Catch me on tumblr at [indathreneblue](https://indathreneblue.tumblr.com)


	6. Chapter 6

Lena knew about the red kryptonite incident.

It had come up unexpectedly, while Kara was recounting an argument at work with a rude coworker. Lena had rolled her eyes at Kara’s version of a biting comeback, telling her she couldn't be mean if her life depended on it. But instead of an eye roll or amusing denial, Kara had responded with a small and forced sounding laugh, and she wouldn’t meet Lena’s eyes.

Lena hadn't pushed, partially out of surprise at Kara’s reaction, but also because she could feel the guilt rolling off of Kara in waves. And that, in turn, had caused some of Lena’s own guilt-related memories to resurface - helping Lex with projects she should have asked questions about - which momentarily left her too frozen to interact with Kara.

Eventually they both got unstuck, and Kara chose to elaborate, providing a very detailed, albeit stilted, explanation.

It turned out Kara could be just as devastating with her words as she was with her punches.

Her conversation with her sister was on par with Lillian’s verbal attacks, which was saying something. But Kara being Kara, she owned it, admitting that while she never would have voiced those thoughts aloud otherwise, they were still the truth. Dipped in poison and wrapped in razor blades - but the truth nonetheless.

So Lena knew the true effects of red kryptonite. Knew how it silenced the voice of caution in Kara and removed any and all inhibitions. And because of this, it didn't take Lena long to put the pieces together when Kara called her. She’d barely said hi before Kara started questioning her.

“How come you're not at your office? Or your apartment?” 

“Well, hello to you, too,” Lena replied drily, noting the tinge of annoyance in Kara’s voice. “I’m on my way home now. Do you want me to stop and pick up something to eat?”

She’d phrased it as question only out of politeness, because Kara always wanted food. Lena had her finger on the partition button, ready to ask her driver to stop at the Asian restaurant Kara was favoring lately, when she nearly dropped her phone at Kara’s reply of ‘no’. 

Well, that was new. 

“Is everything okay, Kara?”

“Why wouldn't it be? Because I don't want food? I have been known not to be hungry at times.” 

Her tone was ostensibly teasing, but there was a bite to it. Lena thought about apologizing, debating over whether Kara’s overreaction warranted one, when several sirens erupted in the distance.

“Do you have to take care of that?”

Kara sighed into the phone. “The DEO existed well before I came into the picture. They can handle it on their own tonight.”

Alarm bells to match the ones outside were now going off in Lena’s head. Kara had confessed her frustration that the DEO relied on her too much, that J’onn and Alex called her too readily - but Kara had never actually acted on those sentiments. And the way she was doing it now, acting so dismissive about it…

“When will you be home?”

“Less than ten minutes,” Lena replied coolly. “Impatient much?”

“Yes,” Kara answered tersely, sounding aggravated. “I'm tired of waiting and being polite and always, always, having to hold myself back. It’s all the time, with everyone and everything, and I’m done with it, Lena.”

“Kar-”

But it was too late. The conversation was over.

Lena leaned back against her seat, phone in hand as she debated her options. This situation was too important to have a text get misinterpreted or ignored, but at the same time Lena had no idea how far Kara’s superhearing reached. She couldn’t risk being overheard. 

Better to play it safe, just in case.

_L: Was Supergirl exposed to red kryptonite today?_

_Alex: Who is this?_

_L: Lena Luthor_

_A: How did you get this number?_

_L: From Kara. She told me to contact you in case of an emergency._

There was a pause as Lena waited for Alex’s response. Likely she was reevaluating what she knew of Lena and Kara’s friendship.

_A: Why do you think something is wrong with Supergirl? Is she with you now?_

_L: I spoke to her on the phone and it was obvious. And I’m about to meet up with her._

Another pause, probably Alex wondering why Lena was talking to Supergirl on the phone, and how much Lena knew about Kara exactly.

_L: We don’t have time for this. I know Kara is Supergirl. Trust me, something is wrong with her._

Lena waited again, this time for Alex to process that information.

_A: We haven’t heard from her in the last few hours. But’s it’s possible she was exposed to it. When and where are you meeting her?_

_L: At my apartment in 5 minutes._

_A: I’ll be there with a team in 20._

_L: Make it fast. I don’t know how long I can stall her before things get out of hand._

Lena tossed her phone into her purse as her driver pulled up to her building, then quickly scooped up her belongings.

As she traversed the lobby into the elevator, she thought about what exactly she would be walking into once she entered her apartment. Kara had said she was tired of holding back, which Lena was sure applied to many aspects of Kara’s life. But the fact that she sought out Lena gave her a clue as to her more immediate intentions. The only thing up for debate was the pace at which Kara moved and how successful Lena would be at slowing her down. Because a lot could happen in fifteen minutes.

It also didn't help that Lena’s conviction to do the right thing here was less than one hundred percent. Lena was tired of waiting as well, and yearned to relearn Kara’s body.

But not tonight. Not like this.

Kara was effectively under the influence. And while she might not blame Lena for her actions - probably wouldn't even realize just how eager Lena was to comply with her wants - Kara would blame herself. That blame would poison their relationship, conceivably beyond repair. And Lena wouldn’t throw away something possibly long-term just to satiate her immediate lust.

But this did call for some careful negotiating. She couldn't simply turn Kara down. Not out of any real concern that Kara wouldn't take no for an answer - the red kryptonite dissolved inhibitions, it wouldn't turn her into a sexual predator - but Lena guessed that Kara would then leave. And who knows what damage she’d wreak while the DEO was trying to track her down. No, Lena needed to keep Kara in one place.

So, if she wasn't going to reject Kara’s advances immediately, and she wasn't going to say yes either, Lena only had one option left. She needed to delay her. It was simply a question of how much of an eyeful Alex would get from Lena’s method of delaying...

And the answer, it seemed, was going to be a lot. Lena had barely walked in - a quick glimpse of blue and red and the snapping of a cape her only warning - before Kara had her pressed up against the door. 

“You’re home,” Kara said, voice low, her lips curling into a smirk. “I'm glad.”

“I can see that.”

“I want to fuck you, Lena.”

Lena’s eyes widened. Apparently along with a loss of inhibitions, all ambiguous language fled from Kara as well. 

Kara slid her fingers under the strap of Lena’s purse and lowered it to the floor, while her other hand snaked its way around her neck. And then Lena found herself sincerely wishing the circumstances were different, because being kissed by Kara when she had no plans to stop felt distinctly different. It held promises of a sweaty gratification that she knew Kara could fulfill adeptly and repeatedly. 

But when she felt Kara’s hand slip into the gap between the buttons of her shirt, Lena tore her mouth away. Circumstances were not different and she needed to slow things down. Covering Kara’s hand with her own, she let a teasing smile surface. “I do like this shirt so I'd rather you not rip it apart.”

Kara rolled her eyes. “You're no fun,” she pouted. 

“I wouldn’t say that,” Lena drawled, reaching up to slowly begin unbuttoning it.

Halfway through she paused to kiss Kara, and when the kiss was hungrily returned Lena let her hands fall away from the buttons, wrapping them around Kara’s neck in an effort to extend this distraction as much as possible. This was essentially strip poker, and Lena only had so many articles of clothing to leverage. Once they were both undressed it would be game over. And Kara’s thinking might be a little cloudy right now, but she would know something was up if they were naked and Lena suddenly stopped for conversation.

Eventually Kara pulled away, leaning forward to lave at Lena’s neck and collarbone. When her progress was hindered by Lena’s shirt, Kara tugged at it.

“Off,” she demanded. 

Lena resumed her previous task of unbuttoning, and as soon as she was done Kara was pushing her blouse off her shoulders. Or at least attempting to. She still had Lena pressed up against the door, which stymied her progress. 

“How about moving to the couch?” Lena suggested. She needed to give Alex a clear path into the room, and the bedroom was best avoided for now. 

Without warning Lena found herself being picked up, Kara’s strong hands grasping the backs of her thighs and pulling her in close as Lena quickly wrapped around legs around Kara’s waist. 

If the supersuit hadn’t already reminded Lena of Kara’s strength, that little maneuver would have done the trick. The ease with which she picked Lena up was nothing compared to her full capabilities, of course, but that didn't lessen the impact for Lena; her body responded to the display of strength.

And the suit wasn't helping, either. It showed off Kara’s lean, muscular body, usually hidden away under button ups and sweaters.

All of that, plus the sexual tension that had been escalating since they'd nearly had sex on Lena’s desk last week...it was throwing Lena off. Enough that when Kara sat back on the couch with Lena straddling her lap, it was Lena’s mouth and hands that wandered first. 

She kissed a wet path along Kara’s neck, hands sweeping up Kara’s abdomen and skimming across her breasts. And when Lena bit down on her ear lobe, Kara let out a pleased groan.

“Do that again. Harder,” Kara demanded breathlessly. “Please.”

The ‘please’ brought a smile from Lena. Even now, with a poison coursing through her, Kara’s duality was peeking through. 

Lena complied, and that worked for Kara - a lot. She pulled Lena’s hips down while lifting her own to grind against Lena, dragging her into a hot, messy kiss. 

When Kara pushed at her shoulder, urging her to lie back on the couch, a stray thought crossed Lena’s mind - the idea of texting Alex and telling her she’d failed at detaining Kara. That Kara had up and left. 

It wasn't an idea she seriously entertained, but it did beg the question of why that thought occurred to her at all. Part of it, of course, was Lena’s lust speaking. But not all of it, and she needed to examine that other part more closely.

Just not now. 

Lena knew her enthusiastic responses to Kara’s touches weren't helping the situation. She needed to temper her actions and shift into a slower gear, and to get Kara to follow along at the less hurried pace.

But to get something you usually needed to give something up. 

In this case, it would be another article of clothing - but one of Lena's choosing. Because if Kara’s fingers sliding under the strap of her bra were any indication, she was going to lose something one way or another, and her goal was to avoid flashing her breasts to Alex tonight, for all of their sakes. 

Lena covered Kara’s hand with her own, pausing her after Kara had managed to slide one strap off her shoulder.

“Help me out of my stockings first,” she said, absently realizing her shoes were already gone. She must have lost them somewhere between the door and the trip to the couch.

Kara’s hands slid along her thighs and just under her skirt, but her movements were a little too rushed.

Lena grabbed at her wrists. “Slower,” she said, catching Kara’s gaze as she said it, infusing it with innuendo.

Kara’s eyes darkened, and as she resumed at a slower pace, Lena had to deal with the heightened sensations elicited by her actions - the silken drag of stockings as Kara peeled them downwards, the wet heat of Kara’s breath ghosting along her newly bared skin, the light brush of kisses Kara pressed along the way...

God, Alex needed to hurry the fuck up.

After tossing them carelessly to the ground, Kara crawled up Lena’s body, stopping when she reached the apex of her thighs.

No, no, no.

She was not getting walked in on with Kara’s head buried between her legs. Especially not by Kara’s sister.

“Not yet,” Lena exhaled quickly, realizing she could already feel Kara’s breath against her. She pulled at Kara’s shoulders, urging her up to lie flush on top of her. 

As Kara’s mouth hovered over Lena’s, she grinned down at her, raising an eyebrow in challenge. “Careful what you ask for, Lena. I'll build you up so much, you’ll be begging for my mouth on you.”

Lena’s breath caught and she licked at suddenly dry lips, right before Kara got to work fulfilling that promise. She started with open-mouthed kisses, then nips to Lena’s lower lip, followed by a small smirk - Lena’s only warning before Kara thrust her tongue into her mouth.

Nothing about this kiss was tender. Kara was rough, hot, and thorough - and fuck, Lena was reveling in it. Her lungs were screaming by the time she finally broke away, and as she gasped for air Kara continued her assault on Lena’s senses, sucking marks into Lena’s neck and collarbone that would leave discolorations by morning.

Arousal turned Lena desperate - she couldn’t think beyond her need to touch and feel more of Kara’s body against her own. She used one hand to grip across the nape of Kara’s neck, and the other to push Kara’s cape aside so she could stroke her fingers up the back of Kara’s thigh. When Kara’s mouth advanced lower, kissing and biting across the top of Lena’s breast, Lena’s hand slid under Kara’s skirt-

And that's when Alex burst through the door, closely followed by another female agent. 

To her credit, Alex reacted with only a barely perceivable pause and a blink of surprise before she fired at Supergirl. The tranquilizer hit Kara in the shoulder, followed by a second shot from the other agent when Kara didn't fall unconscious immediately. And when Kara collapsed, it was directly on top of Lena, because of course this situation had to be as awkward as possible. 

It took both agents to roll Kara off of her and onto the ground, and while Alex was checking Kara over, the other operative was polite enough to retrieve Lena’s shirt for her.

Once she’d finished refastening the last of the buttons, Alex signaled to her fellow agent to bring the rest of the team in. 

“She’ll be alright?” Lena asked Alex, watching as they moved Kara onto a stretcher. 

Alex nodded, keeping her eyes on her sister until she’d been transported out of the room. Once that was done, though, Alex turned to Lena, assessing her with a critical eye. “What about you? Are you ok?”

Lena waved her hand dismissively. “I'm fine.”

Alex looked doubtful, but rather than argue, she moved onto her next question. “How long have you known Kara is Supergirl?”

Lena knew better than to answer that. She guessed Kara had told her sister little to nothing about the nature of their relationship. Alex was fishing and Lena wasn't about to provide answers that would simply lead to more questions.

“Does it matter?”

“I suppose not,” Alex admitted.

As Alex surveyed the room, Lena couldn’t help noticing how anxious and distinctly uncomfortable Kara’s sister now looked. Eventually, she turned back to Lena, taking a breath to steel herself.

“I know you said you were fine, but I have to ask. Did she force or pressure you-“

“No,” Lena assured her. “Red kryptonite strips away the niceties, it doesn't change who she fundamentally is. But why are you asking? You’re already aware of how it affects her.”

“I had to make sure. It could have been a new variant, Kara’s physiology might have changed...sometimes things just find a way of going wrong.”

Lena believed her, but Alex’s posture had only partially eased and right now Lena just wanted to take a cold shower and go to bed. She didn’t feel like playing twenty questions when it was obvious what Kara’s sister was worked up over.

“Just ask me the question you want to ask, Agent Danvers.”

Alex tilted her head, looking slightly taken aback by Lena’s directness. But that didn’t mean she didn’t appreciate it, nor that she wouldn’t take advantage of it.

“Was that real? Or were you just playing along to keep her here until we arrived?”

Lena could have answered her questions. Could have told Kara’s sister the truth and weathered the inevitable anger and outrage and unfounded accusations. But it wasn’t for her to decide how much to reveal. And she wasn’t about to lie when it seemed like Alex already knew the answer. 

“I believe that’s a conversation best had between you and your sister.”

It was the kind of non-answer that was still an answer, and Alex’s gaze narrowed, clearly not happy with that response. But her glance towards the door indicated she had other priorities as well, and her need to see after her sister won out.

“I have to go. But we’re not done here. I have more questions and I'll need you to sign an NDA.”

“Of course,” Lena replied calmly. “Stop by my office anytime.”

Alex turned to go, then paused and turned back, and Lena started to get annoyed. She didn’t feel like dealing with any more unwarranted concerns about her relationship with Kara. 

But that’s not what unfolded. Instead, she watched as Alex’s brusque formality fell away, her stance and expression softening.

“Thank you,” Alex said quietly. “For contacting me and letting us help her.”

Lena nodded and debated leaving it at that, but she felt an urge to at least try and protect Kara from the interrogation she knew Alex would subject her to.

“Don’t be too hard on her,” she said. Your sister is fully aware of the risks of associating with a Luthor. She’s being cautious.” Continuing to hold Alex’s gaze, she let down her guard a fraction. “But she’s also not pre-judging me for my family's actions. And that’s not something I've been given before.”

Alex studied her for a few moments, face unreadable.

“Then don’t throw it away,” she said.

And then Alex came back to herself, her posture stiffening as she pivoted towards the door, telling whomever was on the other side of her earpiece that she was on her way. 

Once the door safely closed behind Kara’s sister, Lena headed for her bedroom. The shower she’d planned on taking was now unnecessary, her conversation with Alex having effectively doused her libido. 

As she got undressed, Alex’s parting words stuck with her. Not because the warning was justified, but because of the intensity of her reaction to it. Lena’s immediate internal response was one of protest - that there was no conceivable way she would throw away or do anything else to hurt her relationship with Kara.

And that realization was extremely unsettling. Because the last time she’d let herself care for anyone, it’d almost destroyed her. But this was Kara, not her psychotic family. Her feelings for her were different...

Which, unfortunately, made it so much worse.


End file.
